Paradise Found
by hayatin
Summary: When a young woman is reborn into a universe that's supposed to be fictional, she does what any sane person ought to - she chooses the peace of civilian life. But the cost of peace in this terrifying new world is a price paid in blood. [SI with a civilian twist and ripple effect][short hiatus]
1. Chapter 1

The day I died was a day I was expecting for some time.

I'd had time to say my goodbyes, I'd written a brief will and testament to where I wanted my things and meager savings divided and distributed, and I'd had my large, annoying, and loving family at my side when it happened.

For many months I had wrestled with an aggressive cancer in a war-torn and impoverished country that couldn't provide the type of treatment I needed to fight it. My family that was too poor to send their eldest daughter to one of the richer, western countries that had thoroughly trained doctors and newer medicines and equipments.

I was one of nine children born to my parents, a couple who owned a bakery in an overcrowded city where rich and diverse lands bordered that of Egypt. Those ancient lands I called home were contested, and they sat nestled between two angry countries and an even angrier ocean.

My family had been loud, obnoxious, loving, and joyful though poor. Did I mention loud?

I was loathed to leave them at only twenty-three years of age. My life had hardly even begun by the time it was snatched from me, and I had struggled for months with the terrifying question of what lay in store for me when it became clear that my time was running out.

I was raised as a Muslimah in my first life.

I had lived as well as I could; peaceful, hard-working, and obedient to my parents – studying as much as I could for the chance at one of those coveted scholarships that were awarded to the hardworking students of our province, and working in the bakery with my parents and siblings when I wasn't studying.

I had held out hope that my good actions and intentions in this life would be enough to grant me access to the rewards that had been promised in the afterlife. I had believed in what I was supposed to believe and done what I was supposed to do.

So, as you can imagine, it came as a complete surprise when I found myself taken from one life and forced into another when I was supposed to have been sent to either heaven or hell, Jannah or Jahanem, Fire or Paradise. Whatever you wanted to call it, the meaning was all the same.

That's what was _supposed_ to have happened to my soul after death. That's what I had been taught, what I had believed to be true.

Yeah, that's what was _supposed_ to have happened.

It came as an even bigger shock when I recognized the world I had been placed into after my death was one that was supposed to be fictional, which certainly wasn't the heaven or hell I had expected. A story, a manga, a television series that I had watched with two of my younger brothers on occasion. That's all it was supposed to be. A story. Fiction, and nothing more.

I was stubborn at first, refusing to use the word 'reincarnation', a word I had never believed in. I refused to trust that any of my surroundings actually existed, and I refused to accept the horrifying transition between realities that my soul had been forced through.

The first few months of my life in the Village Hidden in the Leaves were ones of complete and utter denial.

I spent a good few weeks crying myself to sleep at night and mumbling things in my native tongue of Arabic when my senses had developed enough to allow me speech. I had missed my family. I was frustrated that I couldn't understand this new language. I was confused and scared, as anyone might be if they had found themself in a similar situation.

Why was I here? How had I come to be here? What would happen now that I was here? These were all questions I had no answer for. Not yet, anyways.

I was lucky that I had been a child when I'd made the mistake of speaking anything other than Japanese. It was passed off as nothing more than innocent baby babble. I realized then, as I cried and blubbered in slurred Arabic at my confused grandfather, that it was a mistake I could never afford to make again.

That was the last time I ever spoke my mother tongue aloud.

It was new, terrifying, and different. In my first life I had often imagined how interesting life might be in a different place, time, or universe, but none of those fanciful daydreams had ever touched on the terror that I had found in my new life. It was a type of fear that was completely soul consuming, one that left you in awe and in reprehension that you might have lost your sanity somewhere along the way.

For the first few years, I lived in a horrified daze, swallowing compliantly while I was force fed this strange new mixture of language, food, culture, and civilization that was so different from my own. The first year passed in agony, and I spent my days playing masquerade while dreaming of and longing for a different time and place throughout the nights.

My hours during the day were spent learning and absorbing new information, settling into this new skin and new identity that I'd been given while all the while questioning how any of this could possibly be true. Nights were spent in wonder, pondering how it was I came to be here, and sometimes in grief, wishing that I had just stayed dead. There were times it seemed that the emotional agony of being ripped from my family and thrust into this strange new world was unbearable, too much for one soul to carry on its own.

But I learned to carry it. Over time, my disbelief morphed into melancholy, and then melancholy into a firm resolve to survive.

And when I finally decided to quit moping and start living this second chance at life I had somehow found, I began to watch and learn. I began to observe and collect as much information as I could, while committing what I remembered of the original plot to memory so that I would not forget. Eventually, I was able to figure out when I had been born in regards to the timeline I remembered.

I was young when Minato became the Hokage, my grandfather and I had even attended his ceremony, and then the public funeral that inevitably followed some years later after one of the most terrifying nights I had ever lived through.

The village I was born in was on the brink of war with another neighboring land that was also supposed to be fictional. Tensions were running high and suspicions even higher. People whispered in the streets of spies caught and tortured to death. Children were trained as child-soldiers and indoctrinated with a village-first ideology that was quite persuasive – persuasive enough to die for – _persuasive enough to kill for_.

And in real life, the shinobi of this village were intimidating and the politics of this new world were dangerous. It was not the cute and funny cartoon I remembered. It was real, and it was now my reality.

When I truly realized the gravity of my situation, I'd made my decision in an instant: I would do everything I possibly could to live a peaceful life, and going unnoticed was a must.

There would be no, 'girl-gets-reborn-and-becomes-a-kick-ass-kunoichi' in this timeline.

Nope. Not if I had anything to say about it. Not when there were Yamanaka walking around, and certainly not with Nara level intelligence or the startling gut-instincts that most ninja possessed. The worry was always there, in the back of my mind; that they might see that I was somehow different, a piece of the puzzle that just didn't fit right. And in this new world, different was dangerous.

I had always been a worrier, and I had always struggled with anxiety. My features and surroundings might have changed, but that bit stuck around, unfortunately.

I was twenty-three, much too smart and perceptive for a child living in a village occupied by a majority ninja population. The thought itself was unrealistic. And even if I wasn't discovered, I had no desire to bring violence or destruction to people on the opposite end of a conflict I had no attachment to. I would not kill for the 'Will of Fire'.

And besides, I had seen a lifetime of war.

Living on the border of two countries that held hostile aggressions to each other had given me a very realistic view of how war went about, of the evils that men could commit on both sides. We had lost two of my siblings to a fight that my family had been caught between, two countries full of people fighting for land that both believed to be rightfully theirs. They were boys and they were young, and they died in a school, a place where they were supposed to have been safe, victims of a fight they had no part in.

I was no stranger to the sound of shelling, explosions in the distance as we attempted to sleep at night, the sound the bombs and missiles of the groups who only continued to fight each other without giving a care for the civilians who paid the price of their aggressions.

I had seen violence. I'd had my fill of it. I'd lived twenty-three years of praying for peace that never came. So, my decision had been made. It was easy to make, even if it was made out of cowardice. I chose peace.

There would be no Ninja Academy, no chakra training, and absolutely no hints or slips that might indicate that I was anything other than a shy civilian girl who sold vegetables in the market with her grandfather. I remained avowed to keep my head down and my lips sealed, playing the new role I had been assigned perfectly, shedding my old identity so that I could live safely and peacefully in this second chance at life I had been awarded.

Perhaps this could be a heaven of my own making, here in this strange village of ninja that wasn't supposed to exist.

By the time I had turned two, for the second time in my life, strangely aware of all my surroundings despite the fact that a two-year old brain should not have been able to process like a twenty-three-year-old woman, I had accepted my new reality with large reluctance and made my plans to live as normally as possible.

The first few years of my live passed by in a haze of blurred memories, some from this life, and some from the last.

I was Lamees Halabi before. I was Lamees, a girl who had dreams to become a doctor one day. A hard-working girl who lived by the ocean and liked to watch those odd Japanese cartoons with her younger siblings on their ancient television set whenever she actually had any free time.

But that was just it: I _had been._ I no longer was. Lamees was dead, her body buried somewhere in the desert by the sea. Her family had mourned her, but the world had kept turning.

Now I was Mari. Sasaki Mari, or as my new grandfather liked to call me, 'Kimari', a nickname mixed of both last and first in that order. It had caught on as a child, and now it was all anyone called me.

My grandfather, Sasaki Touma, had been the one to raise me in the place of parents who had been killed in action on a mission. Ninjas, apparently. The thought was still somewhat surreal to me.

My grandfather asked me on my fifth birthday if I had any desire to join the academy and follow in the footsteps of my parents. My father had been the first shinobi in our family, and my mother an orphan, from what my grandfather revealed to me. He had asked me that question with a slight tremor in his voice, no doubt with a heart filled with sorrow at the memory of having to bury his son and daughter-in-law so young.

I nearly cried as well when it became clear how dearly he missed the two of them. Lamees had always cried easily, she'd always had a soft heart. That part of myself had carried over from my previous life as well.

'No, Ojii-san' I had told him in earnest that day, flashing my biggest and most convincing smile at the kindhearted old man who had raised me by himself. 'I want to sell vegetables with you!'.

The look of relief and joy on his face at my answer was one that would remain etched in my memory for years to come.

He was a kind old civilian man who used to run a produce stand in the village marketplace. As a child I would travel to work with him daily to his produce stand, and once a week outside the village, where he bought the fresh vegetables from rural farmers and shared his profits with them. In return, the farmers sold him produce for a discounted price.

I inherited that produce stand from him mere months ago, upon his death at a ripe old eighty-nine year of age.

Which brought me to where I was today – apartment hunting as a twenty-year-old civilian of a shinobi village. The landlord I was currently speaking with was about to deliver the same news that I had heard from all the others: filled up or out of my price range.

The produce stand, to no surprise, did not bring in much funding, but it would have to do.

I just couldn't stand to stay in the same little apartment that I had shared with my fostered grandfather. He may not have been what I might have considered blood, but I had loved him like my original family, and he had been quite near and dear to my heart. Memories of him were everywhere, and I had begun having trouble paying for rent after the expenses of his funeral.

So, I had decided I needed a fresh start in a new apartment, one that I could make my own as I continued on in my life without his comforting presence and guidance.

A new start, as it turned out, was expensive.

"I'm sorry, Sasaki-san, but our last available rental was taken a week ago." The landlord explained with an empathetic and polite smile, scratching at the back of his head.

Another dead end.

The majority of the apartments I had spent the day looking for were either out of my price range or already leased. Real-estate was a hot commodity, as I had recently come to find.

"Alright." I replied despite my disappointment, returning his polite smile and a small bow that etiquette demanded of me. "Thank you for your time."

After some quick and polite pleasantries, I was once again off on the hunt, stepping out of the landlord's office and into the warm Konoha sun.

I heaved a quick sigh, my lips tugging in a brief frown. I hadn't thought finding an apartment might pose such a difficulty. My feet were beginning to drag as I once again squared my shoulders and continued to the last and final apartment complex on my hand-written list of broken and barely legible kanji.

The streets were bustling as per usual, happy civilians and ninja alike were out and about in the pleasant weather, chatting amongst each other in bright tones about this or that. Vendors at the market called out to passerby's in an attempt to increase revenue, and a cool breeze filtered gently through the air.

Another beautiful day in the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

"Oi! Kimari!" A well-known voiced stopped me in my tracks as I paused in my internal reverie and tossed my head over my shoulder at the sound of my nickname being called over the bustling crowd.

The voice was unmistakably that of Ueda Machiko.

Or Machi-chan, as I called her. The twenty-five-year-old woman was a good friend of mine, one of the few that I had. Machi sold imported silks in her family's stand, which was usually set up across from mine. Her father was often off on business, trips to trade and barter goods to bring back to their market stand.

It was often, then, that Machi spent many nights in my apartment out of the inability to get along with her father's second wife. The two women absolutely hated each other, and the moment her father left the village on a merchant caravan, Machi would inevitably show up at my door with toiletries and clothing to last a few days.

Her friendship was one that she had forced on me when we were teens, but it was a relationship I was glad to have. Machi was loyal and had a good heart, if a bit rambunctious. Our personalities were the exact opposite, but our friendship remained unaffected.

"I've been calling you for minutes! Didn't you hear me?" She was huffing as she finally caught up to me, looping her arm through mine as we continued in the same direction I had been walking. "What are you doing? You didn't set up your stand today, I got worried you might have gotten sick."

A soft smile quirked on my face at the caring words.

"Well?" She demanded, her light brown ponytail bobbing behind her as she turned her head towards mine while we walked.

"Ah, sorry, I didn't hear you." My tone was mild, pleasant as we walked. "I'm apartment hunting today, too many memories of 'Jii-san at home. Would you like to help? You spend a lot of time at my place anyways."

Her eyes softened at my admission to her. Sasaki Touma had been well known among the civilians, and well-loved on top of it. He was missed by many, Machi and the other vendors included.

"I think that'll be good for you." Her voice was quiet a moment before she continued speaking in a peppier tone. "I'm running errands right now for that ugly boar my father married, but I can help you move when the time comes."

"Mm. I'd appreciate it." I hummed the satisfaction at her offer. Moving was always a pain no matter what universe you lived in.

"I'll bet Keiji will help too, he's had a thing for you for years. I'd bet he'd move it all for free if you batt your eyelashes at him." She wiggled her eyebrows for emphasis.

Her words had the response it seemed she had been hoping for, as she laughed when I flushed from head to toe at the mention of the young man who worked as a butcher at the market. It was often we caught him staring our way, and it was even more common that he would gift my grandfather and I with a few decent cuts of meat for a fraction of the price, blushing as he handed them off to me with only a word or two shared before darting back to his stall.

"Machi-chan!" I reprimanded with a frown and flushed cheeks.

"Sorry, sorry, you're just too easy to tease!" She apologized through her girly giggles. "Which complex are you heading to now?"

I sent her a frown for good measure as I dug out the paper of apartment complexes I'd listed for myself the night before, eyes settling on the last building I had yet to try.

"It's on 14th street, four blocks from the onsen we like."

"That one? But aren't most of the tenants there shinobi?"

My frown stretched deeper.

She was correct. It was one of the few integrated apartment buildings within Konoha, one that was open to rent to both civilian and shinobi alike. Rumor had it that the land lady had a hard time keeping tenants due to a few rowdy ninja who lived there. It was for that reason exactly why many apartment complexes were known to rent only to one group or the other.

But the rates were some of the cheapest in the whole village, and I doubted it could be as horrible as some of the rumors stated. It was at least worth checking out before nixing it from my list.

"Uh-huh. The rates are good, though." I finally sighed.

"Just be careful." I glanced at Machi at her choice of words, and she only shrugged her shoulders. "I'm grateful and all for what they do, but there are a few of them that are rather…eccentric."

Eccentric indeed. The ninja of this village could be quite odd at times, from green jumpsuits to sulky teens who would eventually murder their entire clan. I doubted the word 'eccentric' covered all that was in-between those two extremes.

I had seen many of them, canon characters and others who were just as strange.

It happened every now and then, instances where I would inevitably catch a glimpse of one of those eccentric ninja that I had seen in the series through the eyes of Lamees, walking about as normal human beings instead of fictional characters.

Maito Gai bought his vegetables from my stand because my grandfather and I gave discounts to the ninja of our village as a thank-you for their service.

I had seen many of them, but it had eventually become a normal occurrence.

I kept my distance – head down and mouth shut. I continued my life of the model civilian woman, hardworking and gracious, avoiding forming any sort of attachments to any of the characters I recognized if I could help it. It wasn't always possible, but it was easier since I was a civilian.

"Right." I nodded sharply, shoving my list back into the plain yukata I was wearing. "I'll be careful, don't worry."

Seemingly appeased with my answer, we chatted a bit longer before she had to return to running errands for her step-mother.

It didn't take much longer to find the last apartment complex, and I studied the building intently as I travelled up the stairs to knock on the door of the land lady.

The door swung open to reveal an elderly woman in a floral-patterned yukata, who looked as if the wind might just blow her away. Her wispy grey hair was gathered into a traditional bun at the base of her head, and she had a severe, but kind look to her.

"Good afternoon, Yamamoto-san, my name is Sasaki Mari. I was wondering if you had any availability for an apartment to lease?" I gave a small, polite bow to the older woman, whose name I had seen in her add for a discount in the local paper.

"Ninja or civilian?" She nodded her head in acknowledgement, voicing the blunt question with a guarded look.

"I'm a civilian, I work at the market near the Hokage-tower." I supplied immediately.

Her face relaxed then, a warm smile spreading across her face as her features changed drastically.

"Come in, my dear!" She stepped back, and I bowed once more out of tradition's sake before stepping into her apartment and removing my wooden sandals to stand in those old-fashioned socks that my grandfather had always insisted I wear. 'Like a proper young lady', he used to say. "I'm very glad you've come, may I offer you a cup of genmaicha?"

"Please." I gave a soft smile, accepting the offer of tea even though I was not in the mood for it. It would have been impolite to refuse it.

The Japanese-styled etiquettes and manners had taken quite some time to get used to, but now I operated flawlessly, like the gracious young woman my grandfather had bred me into. Always polite and properly dressed, not a hair out of place from my low-ponytail or more traditional bun at the base of my neck that he had preferred.

'Just like your grandmother', he would recount fondly at the sight of his granddaughter in her yukata and hair parted on the side and braided into a bun that was held in place by a tortoise-shell comb that used to be hers.

Lamees had worn a scarf over her head in public, to cover her hair out of modesty and culture's sake, as well as to help combat the heat of the middle-eastern sun. So, it had taken me some adjustment to become better adapted to having my hair uncovered as Kimari. Lamees had traded in her richly embroidered long tunics and loose pants for yukatas and wooden shoes in her new life.

When the tea was brewed and we were sitting seiza-style at her lowered table, she began her interview.

"And what brings a civilian girl to my apartment complex? I'm sure you've heard the rumors. Most of my tenants are ninja, though I would prefer more civilians." She began, eyeing me with interest over steaming cups of green liquid. "The civilian tennants are always easier. No seals, no random explosions, no weapons strewn about."

 _Random explosions? I hope that's a joke._

I nodded, meeting her gaze and answering honestly.

"I saw the advertisement for discounts to civilians." I started, admitting the true reason. "My grandfather recently passed away and I wanted to find a new apartment for myself."

Her eyes widened as I admitted my reasoning.

"Sasaki….You wouldn't happen to be Touma-kun's little granddaughter, would you?" Her gaze was much warmer now as she looked to me in anticipation of an answer. "Kimari? How you've grown!"

I paused in surprise. She must have known 'Jii-san somehow, perhaps I had met her as a child. I couldn't recall.

"I am. Did you know Ojii-san, Yamamoto-san?" I replied curiously, subtly cocking my head ever so slightly.

"Know him? Ha!" She gave a delicate, tinkling laugh before continuing. "Why, we grew up together, your grandmother was my closest friend. You do look just like her. And you don't have to worry about any honorifics, just call me Obaa-san." She waved her hand casually at my use of her last name, moving to refill my cup of tea as she spoke animatedly.

"Hai, Obaa-san!" I returned quickly.

"Such a lovely and polite young lady." She cooed, before filling her own cup as well. "I do have one last apartment left, though for Touma-kun and Kaori-chan's granddaughter…" She trailed off, tapping her chin in thought. "I'll give you another thirty percent off the rent if you agree to have tea with me once a week."

I gawked, before remembering myself.

I moved quickly, repositioning myself at the side of the table and placing my head on the floor in her direction in a formal bow.

"Thank you, Obaa-san! I'll take your offer!"

"Get up, get up! No need for such formality, it is my pleasure to help the granddaughter of old friends." She cried, and I heeded her direction, picking my forehead up off the ground and returning to my seat, unable to believe such good fortune had befallen me. "The apartment is ready for immediate move-in. I can give you the keys today, it's the same model as my own. Small, but warm."

"I'll take it, thank you so much Obaa-san!" I repeated. I couldn't believe what luck I'd had. And I almost hadn't wanted to come.

That would be almost fifty percent off of a normal rent, there was no way I could let that deal slip away from me.

"Although, I must warn you." She interrupted my internal cheering, and I met her gaze again, slightly concerned at how her tone had changed. "Your next-door neighbor is…well…ah, how to say it?"

She glanced to the side, seeming to debate with herself.

"He's quite the naughty child, I imagine you would be displeased with such a neighbor. Not many care for him, myself included." She finally settled on that description, somewhat vague in her choice of wording.

A child?

I almost laughed.

Lamees had been one of nine other rowdy siblings, I could handle a little troublemaker, especially for such a handsome discount on my rent.

"It won't be a problem, I assure you. I'll take the apartment." I assured her vigorously, a smile stretching over my face.

"If you're sure, dear…"

I left not long after, a new set of keys in my hand and a lease signed for my new living space.

It really must have been my lucky day, I thought to myself, and I made my way back home with a large smile and a bounce in my step.

.

* * *

.

Moving apartments turned out to be an easier than expected. Machi, true to her word, helped me with the transition, even roping in Keiji to help as well, who had all but jumped to help before even being asked.

With Keiji to do the majority of the heavy lifting, it was an easy task for the rest of my things. And I didn't own much. My grandfather, like many other civilians in this Japanese-esque culture, practiced minimalism, so I didn't own too much to move.

My closet was quite small, just a handful of different yukatas, some more casual clothing, and one kimono for formal occasions I had inherited from a mother I'd never met. The furniture was traditional styled, a low table, floor seating, tatami mats, a futon for sleeping, and small cabinets and armoire.

The majority of my possessions revolved around kitchen-ware, which had been packed into three boxes of pots, pans, and other things.

I had two wall scrolls of calligraphy my grandfather had made in his lifetime, a vase for flowers, and some incense to light for the alter to both my parents and my grandfather – but that was the most of any decoration I had out on display.

The apartment itself was small and simple, traditional with wooden floors and white walls, old windows that were a pain to open and close, a small refrigerator and an ancient cooking stove that only took coals.

But for such a great price, it seemed like a palace to me.

I spent my first full day there cleaning every little nook and cranny, scrubbing at the floors, walls, and windows until everything shone like new.

When it all came together, I sighed in content, moving to open the windows to allow a breeze through the apartment and leaning against the wall as I surveyed the tidy and proper abode.

 _Perfect, it's just perfect. I sure got lucky._

And just then, as I had barely finished thinking that statement, my 'luck' ran out.

I flinched in surprise and out of instinct when my window shattered and a kunai imbedded itself into the wall adjacent to me.

I sucked in a large gasp and slid to the floor, my palm catching one of the large shards of glass in my panic and drawing blood that smeared across the wooden floors I had just finished cleaning.

Before I even had the opportunity to process any of what had happened, I heard an angry voice from outside my now broken window.

"NARUTO!" The irate voice bellowed in clear frustration. "Now look what you've done this time!"

Time stopped. My breathing seemed to slow and I could hear my blood pumping slowly in my ears.

 _No_.

It couldn't be.

In an instant, I was drawn back into the memory of the conversation I'd had with Yamamoto-baa-san, when she had warned me of the young boy who would be my new neighbor, seeming to debate with herself on how to inform me of the problem.

I was floundering internally, my body frozen as I was struck with a horrible realization.

My new neighbor wasn't just some troublesome boy. Oh no, not at all.

My new neighbor was Uzumaki Naruto. _The_ Uzumaki Naruto.

My breath began to come in short gasps as I panicked. And I nearly screamed when a grown man poked his head through the shattered glass of my window to survey the damage his student had done, eyes widening drastically when they saw me sitting on the floor to the side of the window, clutching my bleeding hand to my chest and hyperventilating.

"Oh!" He breathed at once, pushing himself through the window to crouch at my side. "Are you alright? Let me help you."

He reached for my arm to help me to my feet, and I stood in a daze, still clutching my injured hand to my chest like my life depended on it.

 _This can't be happening. Out of all of the apartments, the only one available was next to Uzumaki Naruto?_

"I'll take care of the window and pay for the replacement, it's my fault, I am his teacher and I am to blame for such unruly behavior." He offered, gently taking my palm from me to inspect the cut.

I nodded blankly, unable to find my voice to respond as the man with the scar across his nose spoke to me in an appeasing tone, the way that many shinobi addressed the civilian women who were seen as delicate and easily frightened.

"I am Umino Iruka, I work for the shinobi academy. I can assure you that his behavior will not go unpunished. May I help you to the hospital to have this cut taken care of, Miss…?"

I found my voice then, stuttering as I replied to one of the people I had done well to avoid until this horrible day.

"S-Sasaki. Sasaki Mari." I breathed, almost inaudibly.

Iruka gave a small smile that looked like an attempt at comforting, but to me it was anything but.

"I deeply apologize, Sasaki-san. Please allow me to cover the cost of the repairs and escort you to the hospital, you look like you've had quite the scare." He laughed, somewhat awkwardly as he looked my way, noticing my hesitance. "Please, I insist."

I glanced back down to my palm. It was a deep cut, and one that would need tending to, but I had little desire to spend any more time around the character I recognized than what I already had.

However, I doubted I had much of a say. He seemed insistent, and I hardly had the funds to pay for both a hospital visit and a repair to my broken window.

"Thank you, Umino-san." My voice was hardly higher than a whisper as he opened my front door for me.

When I saw the sight that was waiting for me outside the door to my apartment, I wished immediately that I had chosen to decline his offer and stay inside.

Naruto himself stood outside my door, head downcast with his arms crossed sheepishly, kicking at some imaginary pebble at his feet.

When the door opened I nearly lost it at the sight of him, my body and mind begging me to run, to put as much distance between myself and the little boy as possible. Being near him meant being near to danger, and I wanted nothing to do with him, despite the adorable pout on his face that would have made my heart melt if he were anybody other than the protagonist of the entire damn plotline.

"Look, lady, I'm really sorry so don't go makin' a fuss, okay?" He demanded, blue eyes locked onto my brown ones and practically begging with me not to get him into any more trouble than he already was.

It was too surreal. My next door neighbor, the future savior of this world and the host of the nine-tails. But right now, he looked like any other neglected child.

"It's – It's o-okay." I stuttered, voice still trembling from the shock of nearly being imbedded by a random kunai through my window and finding out my new neighbor was Naruto himself.

"It is most certainly not okay!" Interrupted Iruka with an angry scowl directed towards the boy, who scowled right back at him. I realized then that this must have been before Iruka and Naruto developed their bond. As of now, it looked like they hated each other. "Look at what you did! You've injured a civilian, a woman as well. Ninja are supposed to protect people like her, not hurt them! But you never listen, do you? You'll never become a shinobi at this rate."

 _Ouch_.

Iruka's words hit him hard, and the young boy looked as if he might even cry. His blue eyes widened, honing in on the blood that was dripping from my hand with a horrible look on his face.

"It – it was an accident!" He started frantically, only to be interrupted.

"You could have killed somebody today! Kunai are weapons for ninja, not brats who want to play pretend." He spat. "I'll have to inform the Hokage about this."

The look on Naruto's face was pure dejection, as if all hope or happiness had been taken from him in a split-second.

"Umino-san," I started hesitantly, and he focused on my form quickly when I finally piped up. "I would like to visit the hospital, if it's not too much trouble."

And that was all I said.

There was something inside of me, a part of my heart that screamed for justice for this young boy, a part of me that wanted to comfort and console him or even to call out Iruka for his harsh words and reprimands. But I couldn't.

I was a coward.

I didn't know what else to say, so I left it at that. I felt horrible for the boy, but I was too scared to speak up for him, to bring attention to myself by going against the norm.

 _Coward._

"Ah, of course, Sasaki-san! My apologies."

With one more scathing look towards his troublemaking pupil, we were off, and as I passed him, I kept my eyes firmly in front of me, unable to meet the sad gaze of a boy who had been ostracized by an entire village for something beyond his control.

Iruka continued to talk as we walked, but I tuned him out, nodding politely every now and again to feign my attentiveness. All I could see were those big blue eyes full of hurt and untold pain and suffering. All I could hear were the horrible things that Iruka had said to him, along with my silence. And my silence was the loudest of it all.

A coward, that was what I was, a damn coward.

Guilt was what ate at my heart, overpowering the feeling of fear that had long resided there.

.

* * *

.

Later that night, upon returning from the hospital with a completely healed hand to see my window already repaired, I found a crudely fashioned package made out of a month-old newspaper on the step of my front door.

I stood there in bewilderment for a small moment, before a flash of blond hair caught my eye out of my peripherals.

Naruto was there, spiky blonde hair and blue eyes peeking from his door, which was cracked just enough to watch my actions. The horribly wrapped package in faded newspaper was no doubt from the young ninja-to-be, and I heard him shuffle in anticipation when I bent to retrieve his offering and began to pull at the newspaper wrapping.

A sloppy note and an expired package of instant ramen were the contents revealed to me.

' _Dear nee-chan, I'm sorry I hurt you. One day, I'll be Hokage and nobody will ever hurt you again, and that's a promise – dattebayo!_ '

My heart nearly broke in two.

I was still scared, I was still terrified of being anywhere near any of the main characters, of influencing things, changing timelines, or being labelled as suspicious in any way, but in that moment, my heart melted for the boy.

 _Your parents raised you better than this, Abu and Ummi would have been so disappointed._

It was Lamees's voice that echoed in my head, reminding me of the values of kindness and compassion my parents had instilled in me from my previous life. It was her voice I heard in my head, not that of Kimari who had grown too timid to remember such things.

And the guilt was almost too much to bear. I felt the guilt more than the fear in that moment, and I knew then that my choice had already been made without having to think about it.

"Wow." I voiced aloud, loud enough to make sure he heard every word. "Such a kind boy, I'll have to make sure to thank him again when he becomes Hokage!"

The grin that split across his face made fighting the fear in my heart worth it.

And with that, I unlocked my apartment and slipped inside, pressing my ear against the door as soon as I'd closed it to hear a muffled 'In your face, Iruka-sensei! I'll be Hokage one day, and I'll protect the whole village! Believe it!' coming from the other side.

I smiled softly.

That night, as I lay upon my futon, attempting to grasp at the sleep that would not come, I pondered upon the events of the day. What irony, that I would spend two decades avoiding the very person I now lived next to.

I was unsure of what to do next. Do I intervene? Do I choose to help the boy, to be a support for the child who so desperately needed it? Or do I choose the safer option of cowardice?

If I got involved, what would change? Would I mess it all up? Screw up the timeline? Would my presence and intervention make things better or worse?

 _Perhaps I ought to just return the keys tomorrow morning and move somewhere else_ … _but where? This was the only apartment I could afford and I already signed a lease. Maybe I should just ignore him from here on?_

But would I be able to forgive myself if I chose to turn my back and scorn him like the others? It would be safer if I just pretended to hate him like the rest of the village, wouldn't it?

I didn't know the answer to any of the questions that swarmed like angry bees within my mind that was hectic with turmoil and moral dilemma. The only thing I knew for certain was that everything had just changed, my entire world of safety and distance I'd created had been uprooted, of that I was sure.

And at the center of it was Naruto.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – Happy Friday! I have an update here, but after this chapter I'll be putting this story on a bi-weekly update schedule (So I can rotate updates each Friday with my Attack on Titan story). So, you can expect the next update two weeks from now. I stick pretty close to my update schedules, and will let you guys know if anything changes.**

 **A million thanks to my first few reviewers, you guys are wonderful :)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

My reflection in the mirror held a nasty grimace on her face.

And rightfully so, the girl on the other side of the reflective glass surface looked positively ghastly.

The dark circles under my eyes from a night of tossing and turning stood out drastically against pale skin. I hadn't slept a wink after the events of the previous day, wrestling with my conscience throughout the night as I debated the best way to approach my circumstances.

I gingerly poked at puffy eyelids and dark circles with a deep frown. The light-colored skin that was mostly void of the melanin I'd possessed in my previous life definitely did not help anything, making the dark circles exaggerated and giving a vague impression of a raccoon.

Kimari had a delicate, doll-like look to her, a look that was common among the civilian women of Konoha. A humble kind of beauty that didn't stick out but was still pleasant to look at. Pale skin, honey colored eyes, light brown hair that was straight and thick – so very different from my previous life, but so very common here in Konoha.

Gone was the tanned olive skin, hazel eyes, and untamable curls that Lamees was born with. A mix of Bedouin and Mediterranean, common among her people and matching the rest of her relatives.

Lamees had been tall, almost abnormally so, with thick bones and strong muscles from working in the bakery. Kimari was the exact opposite: short, petite, and slim, looking as though her bones might just snap if squeezed too hard.

Lamees had a wild look to her, no doubt from her Bedouin blood, the blood of the proud nomadic tribes of Arabia and Northern Africa, with a piercing gaze and sharp features that might have made her look somewhat unapproachable. Kimari was the opposite – everything about her was soft and inviting; from her warm gaze to her gentle voice and mannerisms. Even her skin and hair were soft.

I found it humorous that I had inherited such soft and delicate features, especially since the meaning of the name Lamees meant 'soft to touch'. How ironic that I would finally acquire the meaning of my old name in my second life.

I wasn't looking very soft today, however. My reflection looked downright haggard.

I heaved an exasperated sigh, finally accepting that my reflection would not improve by staring at it. Working my fingers through the thick and long locks, I moved to part it at the side and began the braid against my scalp that would eventually be coiled into a bun and secured with my grandmother's comb at the base of my skull - very proper and very traditional, as was expected of me.

It was an interesting time period that I was able to witness here. It seemed like society in the shinobi village was on the cusp of innovation, of modern advancements, but just barely. In this society, new technology and innovative ideas continued to clash with tradition.

There were bits and pieces of random technology sprinkled about, yet still widely unavailable to the public. Things like radios and televisions were hard to come by, yet still available for the right price. To my knowledge, the only thing radios were used for at this day and age was long-distance communication instead of the music that was beginning to fade from Lamees's memory.

There was also evidence of the clash between modern and traditional amongst the clans of Konoha as well. One of the best examples of a clan that held on to tradition like a lifeline of sorts were the Hyuuga, who lived an extremely traditional lifestyle, one that many would consider somewhat archaic. On the opposite end of the spectrum there were the Inuzuka, a clan that was well known for purposefully rocking the boat and had eagerly accepted societal and technological change with no qualms.

It was much the same among the civilians. There were certain families or even entire neighborhoods that clung to the older ways, much like my grandfather and his family had. The newer districts and pockets of younger and elder villagers alike were all for the changes that were coming about, eager to shed the cloak of tradition to replace it with newer tech, modern clothing, and more relaxed societal tendencies.

Even the clothing was an interesting mix of old and new, though many still clung to the older styles instead of the more modern clothing that was starting to become popular in certain civilian circles.

The yukata I wore today was a pale green color, the fabric slightly faded after a few years of usage. This yukata in particular was always my grandfather's favorite on me. It had been my hope that the pastel green of the fabric would draw attention away from the shadows under my eyes. Although, I could see now that my hopes were in vain.

With one last glare at the ugly circles under my eyes, I gave up, splashing some water on my face before heading towards my kitchen to start my day with a cup of tea and a breakfast of 'Tamago Kake Gohan' - a dish of rice, soy sauce, and raw egg that had taken some time to get used to but was now a daily staple.

There were times I missed the rich spices of the dishes that were served in Lamees's home – things like lamb kebabs, Shawarma, Shakshuka, Tabbouleh, and Hummus. I'd even tried to replicate the old recipes, which had all turned out unpalatable and strange-tasting due to lack of proper ingredients, and had eventually given up. There were even points where I would have given all my earthly possessions for a single olive or piece of date fruit.

But all in all, I found I preferred the Japanese cuisine that was found here in Konohagakure. It was filling and nutritious, light on the stomach and full of energy – even if it was a bit bland on the palate compared to the spices I had been raised on in my last life.

I watched the sun rise as I sipped my tea after the dishes had been cleared and cleaned, taking a selfish moment longer than necessary to allow myself the brief period of relaxation to calm my frayed nerves before cleaning the teacup and kettle so that I could head to my stall at the market.

I tarried a moment longer than normal, readjusting my yukata and sliding on my socks and wooden Geta shoes at my threshold.

 _Today is going to be a good day. It will be fine, having Naruto next door doesn't mean the world is ending. Just go to your stall, sell your vegetables, avoid the protagonist, and breathe deeply._

I took a large and calming inhalation as I repeated those words like a mantra in my head until I believed them. Plastering a smile on my face and taking one more breath for good measure, I lifted my head, squared my shoulders and opened my front door.

"Geez, Nee-chan, I've been waitin' for hours!"

I balked, taking a flustered step back and tripping backwards over my threshold to land on my rear in surprise.

 _So much for avoiding the main character._

"Oops! Sorry, I forgot how easy it is to scare civilians." He said casually, although his gaze was somewhat sheepish. He stuck his hand out then, a child offering to help a grown woman to her feet.

How easily he trusted after only a few kind words. How genuine his actions were after such a small kindness of acknowledging his dream aloud while he watched from the crack in his door. Such a small act, and he was so quick to help a civilian, despite the fact that there was not one civilian in the village who actually used his name.

They called him a demon instead, slinging vile names and profanities at boy who was hardly more than a child.

I eyed his hand in apprehension. I already knew it was not the hand of a demon, just a child. But that by no means meant that it was safe to be near him. That age-old terror was creeping back up my chest again, the fear of being exposed or framed as a spy of sorts causing me to hesitate, even though his intentions were pure.

I faltered, openly staring at his hand in fear that I hadn't taken care to restrain.

He noticed my apprehension then and backtracked with a hurt look in his eyes, most likely assuming I thought him a demon and would prefer not to be touched by him, just like the others.

It was the look of dejection that did it.

My body reacted to my heart before my mind could put a stop to it. My hand shot out of its own accord to grasp his tightly, against all better judgement and instinct screaming that this was a horrible idea.

The grin that threatened to split his face in two was as bright as the sun that shone overhead.

"Thank you." I allowed him to help me to my feet, his wide orbs shining at the contact with another human being after years of being shunned.

It dawned on me then that the only other physical contact he might have had with others was most likely hits and kicks from the angry villagers.

 _No. Don't fall victim to sympathy. Just be polite but keep your distance. Don't get too close._

"Was there something you needed, Naruto-kun?" I asked politely, although my voice was slightly strained.

"Right!" He nodded vigorously when I retracted my hand from his now that I was once again standing. "Well, uh, y'see…" He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before continuing. "It's just – I feel bad for what happened, so I'm going to help you today-'ttebayo. Whatever you need, okay?"

I blinked owlishly.

"Thank you, but I can manage on my own." I replied, forcing my tone to sound clipped in the hope he would go about his business and let me go about mine.

"No way, lady! Isn't your hand still hurt?" He argued immediately.

I glanced down subconsciously to the unblemished skin of my palm. Without chakra, it would have been, but yesterday I had been able to watch in unrestrained fascination as the iryo-nin at the hospital used medical jutsu to right the wrong that had been done to my body. The flesh had knit itself back together, right before my eyes in a display that was both beyond intriguing and somewhat unsettling.

I felt I might never get used to seeing people wield chakra, that buzzing life force that almost seemed to pulse in a comforting fashion beneath my skin.

"No, the iryo-nin at the hospital was able to patch it up. Good as new! Now, if you'll excuse me, Naruto-kun-"

"C'mon, Nee-chan!" He only continued in his excitement, blocking the movement I'd made to side-step him. "I can do whatever you need!"

I eyed him in suspicion. Surely he had other things to do, other responsibilities to see to? The anime hadn't gone too in-depth about what his days might have looked like before he graduated the academy, but one thing we had known was that he skipped classes on occasion to pull pranks.

"Don't you have classes?"

"Nah, today's Saturday. I'm free all day to help you!"

 _Great, just great. Of course he is._

"You don't even know my name."

"Sure I do, it's Mari, right? I overheard you talkin' to Iruka-sensei yesterday."

"Sasaki-san will do for now." I corrected him as I began walking towards the external stairs that led to the street. "We hardly know each other, it's impolite to call a young woman you aren't familiar with by her given name."

I was walking as quickly as my yukata would allow, the wooden geta clicking furiously as I began down the stairs with my hand on the rail.

 _Just go away, please just leave me be. It's better for both of us this way, trust me._

"Geez, you sound so old." He mumbled as he matched my pace, descending the stairs with me. "If it's rude, then how come you just called me by my first name? Huh?" He demanded with a grin, thinking he could play me at my own game.

Oh, he wanted to go _there_ , did he?

I kept my face blank of the mirth that made my chest clench. The boy would soon learn to pick his battles with me. Sasaki Touma had been a _very_ traditional old man, a stickler for manners and etiquette that he drilled into my head over the years. This was a game that Uzumaki Naruto would lose.

"That would be because you failed to properly introduce yourself as a young man ought to." I returned in a prim tone of voice, glancing at him in masked amusement as his face scrunched in thought.

He made a small disgruntled sound to signify his exasperation before he once again grinned, foxlike in nature as he stepped right in front of me the moment we had reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Fine." He acquiesced as he cut off my path once again, sticking his hand out towards mine. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto, your future Hokage!"

I eyed his hand in disapproval, tutting slightly at his mannerisms. His face fell at my small 'tsk'.

"A gentleman bows to a lady upon introductions and certainly does not speak with such unbecoming volume."

His jaw dropped, hand wavering in the air. I ignored his hand, stepped around him once more, and continued forward without looking back, nose in the air for emphasis.

Inwardly, I was smiling at his frustration as he sputtered. I continued on with a serene look and the hope that he had given it up at my cold rebukes. Perhaps he would go back home now, or go train, I wasn't too sure what the boy did on the weekends or after school when he wasn't throwing kunai through the windows of unsuspecting civilians. Most likely vandalism of some sort, if I had to wager a guess.

I thought I had won this round when I didn't hear him for a moment, continuing in peace and enjoying the stillness of the early morning. I ought to have known it wouldn't have been enough.

I probably could have punched him in the face and it wouldn't be enough to discourage him. I'd watched the anime, I knew how serious he was about his promises. And the boy had promised me his protection after I had shown him a small kindness that seemed to have meant the world to him.

I should have known better. It wouldn't be enough, nothing would be enough to discourage him.

When he once again appeared in front of me, blocking my path for the third time this morning, I finally frowned at being followed by him. At least until he bent forward and into a formal bow, eyes downcast and back straight in a polite bow of introduction and reverence.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be your Hokage one day -ttebayo."

His tone was calm this time, posture stiff in his bow. When he straightened, he looked to me expectantly, lips quirking upwards ever so slightly at the look of shock my face held.

I huffed, frowning as I returned his bow with one of my own, form immaculate as I also introduced myself in the traditional manor. The boy truly was as sly as the fox he held within him, he'd known I would return the introduction if he went about it in the old way.

"I am Sasaki Mari, your neighbor. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes at the cocky grin he now sported.

"Alright, now you've gotta do it my way! That old stuff is stupid and boring." He declared as he stuck his hand back out for me to shake.

I turned my eyes to the sky, dragging in a long inhalation and exhaling it in a rush. There really was no escaping him, was there? I'd most likely sealed my fate with only a few words the night before.

This was definitely not how I'd hoped for things to go.

I sighed.

 _Screw it. What harm can a handshake do? I'm not offering to be his best buddy with a handshake._

"Mari. My friends call me Kimari." I finally returned to him in defeat as I took his hand in mine and gave it a firm shake.

"Huh? Why?"

"It's a nickname my grandfather gave me. The last syllable of my family name combined with my first name." I explained as we continued walking towards the market.

"Cool. My friends call me the 'Uzumaki Tsunami'!" He spread his hands out, wiggling his fingers for emphasis.

"Liar."

"They do too! You're kinda mean, Nee-chan."

"Go find another civilian to bother then."

"Ha! Nice try, Kimari-nee!"

And from there it began.

.

* * *

.

"Thank you, Saito-san, please come again!"

My voice chirped happily at the elderly man as I handed him his eggplants and his change.

"You know I will, Kimari-chan." He flashed a toothless grin and gave my hand a small pat as he accepted the eggplants in the paper sack. "Keep the change, dear."

It was a busy morning; most Fridays mornings usually were. I had just sold my last few eggplants to a longtime customer and friend of 'Jii-san's, Saito Jun, who came to our stand every other day for as long as I could remember, always at the exact same time.

I pocketed the extra coins he had left me with, a smile on my face at the generous donation. It was often he broke bigger bills and waved off the change like that, especially after 'Jii-san passed away. A form of care, I supposed, and I was grateful for his help.

Help was something I had received a lot of when my grandfather died. All the merchants had given me free food for weeks and a few had taken turns running my vegetable stand when I took a few days off to grieve and make arrangements for his burial, the second time I had buried a grandfather, but the first time to do it in this life.

The other vendors and merchants were like one, large, spiderweb-like family. They knew each other intimately, and were quick to offer help if any should need it. They were truly kind.

Well, at least to _me_ they were kind.

"Ne, Kimari." Machi's voice held a hint of exasperation to it, and her narrowed eyes displayed an air of displeasure as she weaved behind my large display of vegetables to stand underneath my covered canopy behind the stand, her pony tail swinging behind her. "He's here again."

She jerked her head to her right with a tight frown as she folded her arms under her chest, tapping her fingers in aggravation against her forearms.

I stopped re-arranging my produce for a moment to follow the direction of her head motion, searching through the crowd of market-goers until my gaze settled on that horrible, bright orange clothing and blonde hair atop a whiskered face.

Naruto had made a habit of swinging by my vegetable stand, just to say hello, for weeks now. Ever since I had allowed him to help me to make up for the kunai incident, he had begun to trail around after me, whether I wanted him there or not.

"Oh…" I started, realizing the reason for her scowl immediately. I floundered for a moment as I attempted to find the right words to say. "Ano, I –"

"Just do something about him, okay?" Her face scrunched at my flustered response. "I'm losing business because of him. We all suffer for it when he hangs around like a lost puppy. Didn't your Ojii-san teach you not to feed strays?"

I looked to Machi in disbelief, shooting my own frown right back at her for dragging my grandfather into this. It was a subject I was still sensitive about and her words were cruel in her frustration.

"He fed them, actually. Because 'Jii-san realized the importance of kindness to others and raised me to do the same. He's a boy, not a dog." I snapped.

Her eyes widened.

It was extremely rare I snapped at anybody or anything. It took a lot to get me angry. Kimari was a girl who was quite mild in nature, warm, soft-spoken, and peaceful like the good and polite little civilian she had been raised as.

"I-I'm sorry Kimari-chan, I shouldn't have brought up your Ojii-san like that." She glanced back towards Naruto, who was making a beeline for me with an anxious gaze, shifting her weight between her feet nervously as he approached. "It's just…he makes me nervous. I'm sure he's a nice boy, but you know my Okaa-san died that night. I can't – I can't just be nice like you. I wish I could, but I can't."

I felt my scowl vanish in an instant. That was right, how could I forget?

Machiko had lost her mother on the night that the Kyuubi wreaked havoc throughout the village. Ueda Kiyomi had been crushed under airborne rubble as they fled towards the shelters for the civilians, right in front of her daughter's eyes. One second there, the next gone, only bits and pieces remaining. Not even enough to bury.

Lamees had lived through similar experiences, she remembered the terror of the airstrikes, she remembered the horror of seeing the bodies of those who hadn't been able to take cover in time lying dead in the streets or buried under rubble when a building was hit. I understood her pain.

I sighed, giving her shoulder a quick squeeze. I shouldn't have snapped at her.

It was only circumstance that allowed me to have a more objective view towards the boy. If I had been born a normal civilian, without my memories of my previous life and intimate knowledge of the characters and plot, I doubted I would have turned out any different from Machiko – scared and fearful of what was locked inside the boy and not the boy himself, unwilling to approach him and living in festered hatred.

"I'm sorry too, I forgot about your Okaa-san. He's coming, you should go." She gave me a grateful nod, glad for the excuse to leave. "Are we still going to the onsen tonight?"

I called out to her retreating form, confirming our plans. Friday night was girl night, a sacred night at the hot spring fueled bathhouse.

"You betcha, Suzu's coming too this time! Ja ne!" She called over her shoulder, rushing back to her father's silk stand just as Naruto ducked under the canopy to join me behind my vegetable display.

He was all smiles, as per usual. The boy had been smiling much over the course of the last few days, after Iruka took him out for Ramen for the first time.

I had been happy that night as well as I listened to muffled laughter from the other side of the apartment wall that we shared, smiling to myself as I scrubbed at my dishes. I was glad that Iruka had taken that step, Naruto seemed to really need it. The boy hadn't pulled a single prank since then, although, I doubted it would last long. The little punk was a trouble maker to the bone.

"Kimari-nee! What gives?! You left before me this morning!"

"Ah, sorry, Naruto-kun, Fridays are busiest for me." I shrugged my shoulders and suppressed a laugh at the adorable pout that was puling at his features.

It was a new routine that I was still having trouble adjusting to.

In the mornings, I would usually find him waiting outside my apartment door to walk me to the market that was _oh so conveniently located a few blocks from the academy._ But only when he managed to roust himself out of bed before I left. Naruto wasn't a morning person, unlike myself. Both Lamees and Kimari had been and still were early risers.

Each morning still took me by faint surprise, opening the door to see Uzumaki Naruto yawning and rubbing at his eyes was one thing I doubted I would grow accustomed to easily.

But so far, things had continued as normal.

I got a few strange looks every now and then, but I wasn't shunned or ostracized for associating with him as I had feared at the beginning. No ninja had come to drag me away to the Torture and Interrogation unit, and nothing horrible had happened since I had moved in next to him.

And that had been a few weeks ago. Life had continued as normal and the world continued to spin, despite my fears and anxiety that tried to convince me otherwise.

My relationship with my new neighbor was interesting, to put it simply.

I continued to attempt to keep him at an arm's length, not getting too close but still treating him with the basic respect that you ought to give any human being. And in return, the boy had all but worshipped the ground at my feet for the treatment. You would have thought I had saved his life or something with the way he tried to glue himself to my side.

None of my attempts to steer him away from me worked, not a single one.

I'd tried ignoring him, keeping him busy, sneaking out before he woke up, pretending to be too occupied to speak with him, and even threatening to tell his sensei where he went when he skipped class to hang around my vegetable stand and help me carry the crates of produce.

Not a single attempt had worked, and it was beginning to become clear to me that I had little say in the matter at the end of the day. He had chosen to force his unwanted companionship upon me, and when Naruto put his mind to something, we all knew what the outcome was.

My fate had been sealed the day that kunai came through my window when he had been on the run from Iruka.

"Did you forget your keys again? Yamamoto—baa-san won't be happy if you did." I warned sternly.

"Eh, that old hag is never happy." He waved his hands in the air as if swatting a fly when I sent him a look of disapproval at the rude comment, pushing that idea off to the side to relay to me whatever he had come to say. "You better wish me luck! When you see me later tonight I'll have my forehead protector-'ttebayo!"

I stilled, nearly dropping the persimmons I was arranging to take the empty spots that the eggplants had left.

 _So, now it starts. This is where everything begins. Today he'll fail his test and Mizuki will have him steal that secret scroll. Today is when he learns what he is, why the others hate him. Today he becomes a genin._

The very thought chilled me to the core.

Today would mark the beginning of a new beginning, one where I would truly come to know any impact my existence here would have on the plot. I had no idea what might change, what might stay the same, and what my presence would do to all of it.

I had already resigned myself to the idea that I wouldn't be able to shake the young ninja from my side, but I would now see exactly what the consequences of my relationship with Naruto would have on both this timeline and to everyone else.

And I cared about what happened, I truly did.

My life here had started off in disbelief, and it had taken years to be able to feel as if I was truly present within this new universe I had been placed in. But after living so long in my new reality, it no longer felt like fiction. It was astoundingly real, all of it, down to every last leaf on the trees. And my presence here might change things.

I cared about the people in this world, the friends I had made in Konoha and the family I had loved and lost here. I cared about what happened to these people who had once been but fictional characters. They weren't just characters anymore. They were people, real, living people who were just as real as their own goals and aspirations.

And I was just…here. I was just along for the ride, still trying to figure out why I had even been placed here in the first place.

After twenty years of contemplation, I still hadn't figured it out – why I was here, what my purpose here was, if it was all a fluke or divine guidance from the God I couldn't understand but still stubbornly clung to belief in.

Whether or not there were answers to those questions was something I wasn't sure I would ever know, but one thing I did know was that I cared.

Even for Naruto, despite my best efforts to place distance between us. Even for Naruto, who would be a ninja after the events that would come to pass this evening, the event that would become the catalyst for the beginning of it all.

"Is that so?" I spoke as evenly as I could, attempting to hide the tremor in my tone. "Best of luck, then. But you'd better hurry, you can't be late on such a big day, right?"

He puffed out his chest in response, standing proud and taller at my well-wishes.

"That's right! I'll see you later, Kimari-nee! I'll be a ninja next time we see each other!"

And then he was gone, as quickly as he had come, using chakra to enhance his speed as he vanished faster than the time it took me to blink.

I closed my stall early that day, cancelling my plans to visit the onsen with a very disappointed Machi to instead head home under the guise of feeling under the weather.

I may have made a promise to myself not to get too involved or attempt to change anything, but that didn't mean I couldn't worry.

So, worry I did, late into the night as I paced the floors of my apartment, waiting to hear Naruto's heavy footsteps and the signature way he slammed his front door without a care for his neighbors. I brewed cup after cup of tea as I paced, sipping on steaming, earthy liquid in an attempt to calm anxious nerves while I waited.

Sit down. Stand. Pace. Repeat.

Sit down. Stand. Pace. Repeat.

Sit down. Stand. Pace. Repeat.

It was very late into the night when I finally heard him bounding up the stairs and past my apartment to his, fumbling with the keys to his door in the dark and cursing when he dropped them.

The sigh of relief that escaped my lips was one that I'd been holding for hours.

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* * *

.

 **Sasaki Mari**

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at the open file upon his desk in deep contemplation.

His face gave no hints to his thought process, and the ANBU agent who stood at attention on the other side of the desk did not speak.

He reached for the file again, flipping through the scant three pages of information that the young woman's file held to it, bringing her identification photo and archived information closer for further inspection.

Sasaki Mari, a twenty-year-old civilian who sold vegetables not far from where he currently sat, perusing through her file. Born and raised in Konoha, with parents who died in service and had their names on the memorial stone. A clean record, a civilian academy drop-out, and the respect of the fellow villagers for her kindness and well-mannered personality.

There was not much to her file, but then again, it seemed as if there was not much to Sasaki Mari at all.

A plain girl - hardworking, traditional, and simple.

And that was what had piqued his interest.

What drive or reasoning had a plain and bland woman such as Sasaki Mari to forge a relationship with Uzumaki Naruto, as his ANBU agent had just reported when it became clear that Naruto had developed an attachment to the woman, the first attachment the twelve-year-old boy ever had that hadn't ended in heartbreak.

What made her different?

He lifted her most recent medical report that had been added to the file three weeks prior, when Umino Iruka had to escort the shaken woman to the hospital to mend a deep cut that had resulted from one of Naruto's little fiascos. He skimmed the details of the injury, eyes focusing on the information that truly mattered – the standard chakra assessment that was performed by an iryo-nin with any appointment or checkup.

He let his gaze drift over the percentages, numbers, and graphs that indicated a perfectly normal level of chakra for a civilian woman. The only number that exceeded his expectations was that of her spiritual energy, which was much higher than most civilians, but still within a normal realm. And increased spiritual energy could result from many outside factors - like regular meditation or even genetics, for example.

Her charts were normal. Just like any other civilian.

Chakra coils that lay dormant from never having been put to use under the guidance of their ninja academy instructors, below par reserves, and an inability to sense any sort of foreign chakra. Sasaki Mari was a civilian through and through, which eased his initial suspicions somewhat.

The next page was a list of all the times she had ever entered or exited the village gates, only to bring her vegetables to sell, it seemed. She never left the village other than those trips to the farmlands outside their walled settlement. It was not uncommon for the vendors and merchants of Konohagakure.

The final page of her file was one that was a good thirteen years old and beginning to turn yellow on the edges of the document – a formal request to be unenrolled from their civilian academy at the age of seven. The reason stated had been 'financial troubles'.

Hiruzen frowned.

There were many boys and girls like Sasaki Mari who had been unable to continue their education during wartime, when tariffs and trade embargoes caused prices to spike in the village. There were too many young adults who had not received a proper education because they had been made to leave their classroom to help bring extra income to their households when families became desperate. The vast majority of children who had dropped out during the war were never re-enrolled.

It seemed like Sasaki Mari was one of them. She had no documents to show she had ever received any other form of education, and her sloppy characters of a shaky signature on her medical release form, thirteen years after she dropped out of school, confirmed his suspicions.

Her school scores before her drop-out had been average, if slightly below the bar for acceptable. Records showed that she struggled a great deal in subjects like reading and writing, fighting with literacy in hiragana, katakana, and kanji. She had, however, excelled in mathematics, science, and home economics.

A shame she had not been able to continue, he doubted her literacy skills would have been able to advance beyond what she already seemed to struggle with. The woman was most likely not completely literate like many of the other men and women from lower-income households who had left school to work. But such were the ways of war.

He sighed, closing the file to let his gaze fall upon the photo clipped to the front of the manila folder.

Her identification photo was two years old, showing a blushing eighteen-year-old girl who was chewing nervously at her bottom lip. The photo looked as if it had been taken before she was ready.

She was an attractive young woman in a homely sort of way. Slim, delicate, with her hair perfectly combed into an older-fashioned hairstyle that Hiruzen secretly preferred on the younger women of Konoha. It gave a respectable air to the women who wore it, or so was his opinion.

Honey colored eyes, brown hair that was neither dark nor light, and soft features made her pleasing to look at, though thoroughly similar to the majority of the other villagers.

Pretty, but plain.

Her features were undeniably of the land of fire, such looks were common here. On paper, she was perfect, the model citizen that reminded his shinobi why they continued to fight for their village.

"ANBU Hare." The Inuzuka who hid behind the mask and cloak of his 'Hare' identity shifted subtly, inclining his head to show he was listening. "Your thoughts on the girl? I grant you my permission to speak freely, you are temporarily relieved of your position to do so."

Inuzuka Kyohei removed his mask with a smirk upon his face, one that made his Hokage's lips quirk at the sight of it.

"She smells good. Her cooking smells good too, always makes me hungry." His grin stretched a bit further before he returned to a more dutiful approach. "She works hard and has a mild personality, nothing Uzumaki has done has seemed to upset her like all the other neighbors who lived in that apartment before her. She's lasted the longest out of all of them so far."

Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle softly at the Inuzuka's admission to him.

Inuzuka Kyohei was one of the best trackers of his clan. The twenty-eight-year-old man had a sense of smell that superseded all others and was a credible jounin who rarely failed at ANBU or standard missions. It was for that reason exactly that he had been placed on the rotating ANBU squad that was assigned to guard and watch over their Jinchuuriki.

Inuzuka Kyohei was also a rowdy bachelor, who cracked jokes at any opportunity awarded to him, no matter his audience.

"Seems like nice lady." The Inuzuka continued, casually shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking back and forth on his feet as he spoke. "Donates what she doesn't sell by the end of the week to the orphanage. She doesn't have any letters going in or out of the village. I've followed her two weeks now, she hasn't shown any behavior that might be suspicious and she doesn't have any contact with any of the civilian or shinobi council members or anybody outside the village."

"Is she acquainted with any other shinobi of Konoha?" Hiruzen asked, taking his pipe from his mouth to add more tobacco to the end.

"No, Hokage-sama, just Maito Gai – he buys his vegetables from her. But she does have a few civilian friends and most of the villagers call her by a nickname, seems like she's well loved."

"And you've reported that there has been no suspicious behavior observed?" He took a deep inhale of the fresh tobacco in his pipe, enjoying the bite of nicotine in his lungs.

"She's a bit skittish, easily scared, but nothing suspicious." Supplied Kyohei in an amused tone.

"I see." Drawled the old man, taking another long drag of smoke before he spoke his command. "Continue to follow her, I'll expect reports at the end of each day of her interactions with Naruto and her daily routine. Don't leave out a single detail."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The man nodded obediently, nose twitching at the smell of the smoke that his hokage's pipe was emitting.

"You are re-instated and will now resume your duties and return to your post, ANBU Hare."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The mask was placed back on his face, covering his feral grin from sight. With a quick shunshin, Inuzuka Kyohei was gone, leaving the Hokage by to his thoughts.

He glanced back down to take in Sasaki Mari's photo one more time.

Only time would tell just what her intentions with the Jinchuuriki were, and whether she could be trusted. A sweet face and kind mannerisms meant nothing in the world of shinobi, it was her intentions and actions that he would be closely observing from this point forward.

Time would tell, as it always did.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N – Happy Friday and Jummah Mubarak, I hope you all are doing well! There's another small, teeny-weeny AN at the bottom with an explanation and translation for something, just fyi.**

 **A huge thank you to those who are taking the time to review, I love you all and cherish your words~**

 **(Minor cursing in this chapter, Kyohei has a potty mouth.)**

 **.**

* * *

.

Inuzuka Kyohei was bored out of his mind.

At first he'd felt smug that he beat out ANBU Hawk, that smug bastard of a Hyuuga, as the Hokage's preference to conduct such a sensitive mission. But now, as he repositioned himself in the tree that allowed him the perfect vantage point of the woman he was surveilling while she sold her vegetables, he was beginning to wish his teammate and rival would have been selected instead.

He was scowling, not that his mask allowed the twisting of his facial features to be shown to the world. It was his fifth week of trailing the woman while Hawk, Stag, and Rat watched over the Jinchuuriki on their own. At this point in time, he would have given the world to be re-assigned back to guarding the blonde-haired brat again.

At least the kid was amusing.

Kyohei was of the opinion that the trouble maker would have made a good Inuzuka. Uzumaki Naruto reminded him quite a bit of his first-cousin, Kiba.

The little prankster never failed to make his long shifts of guard duty pass with ease. As an ANBU member, he was not to be seen or heard, and that meant that Kyohei was granted a front-row seat to all the shenanigans that the little kid pulled on a daily basis without needing to intervene and discipline him.

It was perfect really, and Kyohei would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy watching the trouble that the boy caused. Sure, he preferred field work to a position that was basically a glorified babysitter, but he wouldn't complain.

He admired the little devil and his guts, to a certain extent, and he adored observing the host of the Nine-Tails drive Umino Iruka to an early grave, he had never cared for Umino in the first place. The man had a 'higher-than-thou' attitude and was only a mediocre ninja who gave self-righteous speeches about the Will of Fire and their duties and shinobi, even though all he did was play with snot-nosed brats all day. He and Iruka had gone to the academy together, and Kyohei had developed a distinct distaste for him early on.

So yeah, he liked watching the kid push all of Iruka's buttons until the man blew steam from his ears.

It was always interesting to see what new stunts Naruto would pull on any given day, and it turned a task of observation that, at times seemed quite mundane, into an everyday comedy show that he received free admission to with front row seating.

Of course, Kyohei regarded his work highly and realized that he had been selected for the serious task for both his skill and discretion. The seasoned Jonin and ANBU member might have been a rowdy Inuzuka to the core, but even he realized how important this guard duty was.

Having a Jinchuuriki within the village could always pose an extreme danger, and threats from rival villages or rogue shinobi were always prevalent. The power that resided sealed away within the belly of Uzumaki Naruto was tantamount, one that they couldn't afford to lose.

A village with a Jinchuuriki was a village with power, a village both feared and revered. And if they lost that power to another village, they would not only lose face, but military prowess and allies.

It was vital that their host was well-guarded at all times until he was powerful enough to do the job himself, but until then it meant that it was up to Kyohei and his squad to keep a keen eye on the boy, ready to strike at any threat in any given moment.

He supposed it was only natural that, as the leader of his squad, he would be chosen to trail and scrutinize this young woman who the young Jinchuuriki had become so attached to, despite her meager attempts at redirecting his affections. Not a single thing she had tried worked, only seeming to make him stick to her harder and with more determination. She had eventually given up and accepted his friendship, even if half their conversations were her berating him on his lack of manners or scolding him to eat healthier. Uzumaki didn't seem to mind, however, and continued to stick around both the woman and Umino.

It was like some sort of boring, sappy, slice-of-life novel. And he hated it.

The last week had been somewhat interesting, especially after the events that lead to Uzumaki's graduation. But that had been the highlight of it, and he hadn't even been able to get a taste of the action. He'd been stuck at his post, watching the woman drink tea and clean her apartment that night.

The woman was a model citizen. Proper, kind, and hard-working; though she seemed somewhat meek and a bit air-headed at times, and was quite naïve to a fault.

Her cooking made his mouth water, to a point where he was surprised she was not married yet. Most civilian girls married in their late teens or early twenties, the majority of the time through arranged marriages.

The first week or so had been interesting, as he trailed her and watched her go about her daily life. But he would be damned if this wasn't the single most boring mission he had ever taken.

He had watched the woman for weeks now, giving daily reports to the Hokage on all the boring tasks she performed; her boring interactions with her boring friends, selling her boring vegetables to boring civilians with that infuriatingly mild and boring smile that seemed to never leave her face. Even Kyohei could tell the smile was fake, and he was surprised she had fooled the others around her so easily.

But he didn't really care about her fake smiles and proper mannerisms.

Kami, he was so _bored_.

The summer heat made the black regulation uniform he wore seem even hotter, even though he was consistently circulating his chakra to help his body cool faster, there was only so much charka he could expend to help keep his body cool while still suppressing it enough to make sure he was not noticed by any other Konoha nin.

He was hot, bored, stiff-limbed from crouching for so long in the tree he was stationed in, and thoroughly agitated with such a menial assignment that had no indication of ending any time soon. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

He would have even preferred scouting duty over this, and he _hated_ scouting duty.

He heaved an inaudible sigh, allowing his chakra that coated his skin in a minor cloaking jutsu to move with him as he repositioned himself to recline lazily against the trunk of the tree, continuing his surveillance of the woman below him in a more comfortable position.

She was re-arranging her produce into geometrically pleasing designs as she chatted away with the rambunctious and gossiping woman who sold silks across from her. He watched as she wiped at some sweat on her brow, using the sleeve of a blue, summer yukata to dab delicately at her forehead in place of a handkerchief.

It looked to be a slow business day for her, which meant an even more boring day for him.

His gaze drifted lazily to the butcher, who had paused in cutting the cartilage from a rack of pork ribs he had been working on to sneak another peek at the woman. This time however, she just happened to look up at the same time, catching his eye and offering a small smile and light wave before returning to her conversation and vegetables.

The butcher, Keiji, if he remembered the name correctly, flushed furiously, and immediately turned back to his work with vigor. Kimari seemed to have her head in the clouds around 80% of the time, or so Kyohei believed, and had yet to notice how often the young butcher watched her.

 _Ugh, civilians._

Pansies, all of them.

It was like an entirely different world these civilians lived in, so peaceful and so unlike the life of a shinobi, unaware of the many sacrifices that were made by the ninja of this village so that they could continue to live the way they did; and it was a life that Kyohei had no interest in ever living. He preferred the rush of exhilaration that came from battle, from putting his skills to the test and pushing his body to the limits.

The life of a shinobi was short, but at least he was free from societal expectations and old-fashioned traditions that served no other purpose than to stuff people into molds of what other people wanted them to be. Civilian life, full of manners and dumb traditions, was nothing more than a ball and chain as far as he was concerned.

Kyohei was truly free, and he and his ninken companion, Aki, would never regret entering into service as a shinobi.

The civilians were so traditional, so old-schooled, so _boring_. Kyohei was about ready to go and slap some sense into the butcher if he didn't grow a pair and ask the girl out already. Surely not all civilians were such prudes?

Back at the Inuzuka compound, such reserved behavior was laughed at and the source of jokes for many of them. He failed to understand why so many young men in this village had a problem taking what they wanted for themselves.

The butcher wanted Kimari as his girl? Then he ought to go and be an alpha dog about it, bag a mate, and raise a pack. Simple.

He ought to just woo the girl right out from under the butcher's nose, just to show him how it's done. The thought made Kyohei smirk viciously. It wasn't a half-bad idea, the girl was pretty enough, if a bit dull, and Tsume had been nagging him for a while to have a pup or two before he croaked or forgot how to 'use it'.

Her words, not his.

Having a talk with Tsume would probably give Keiji a push in the right direction, or maybe just scare him straight to death, he could never be sure with his aunt. Kyohei would have scoffed at the schoolboy display of affection from the young butcher if he hadn't been worried of being overheard.

His attention was drawn back to the two young women again, when they dissolved into girlish laughter about something or another that Kyohei didn't really care about, bringing their hands daintily up to their mouths as the giggled.

He was sure that he was going to kick the bucket soon if things didn't liven up, or perhaps he might actually retch from having to watch such sickening displays of child-like crushes or listening to the incessant female chatter.

Inuzuka Kyohei was bored.

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* * *

.

It was hot outside.

Summer was in full swing now, and I was grateful for the light fabric of my summer clothing that allowed a gentle breeze to permeate the cloth and brush at my skin. There were very few buildings that had air conditioning units here, so the small things, like lighter clothes or gentle breezes, helped to ease the heat and the discomforts it brought.

The cicadas were buzzing loudly in the trees, an out of tune, natural symphony for the listeners below. The sun was hot, without a cloud in the sky to shield the rays. The humid air seemed to cling to the skin in a fashion that was both wet and stifling, dampening clothes as the day went on.

It was summer all right, no doubt about it.

Konohagakure was situated in the very heart of the Land of Fire, a land that was adequately named for its warm and temperate, year-round climate.

Winter here only meant a slight drop in temperatures, cold enough to have the need to add another layer to keep warm, but never enough to snow or make the air feel bitterly cold. But Summer? Summer here was almost unbearable.

Lamees had been no stranger to the desert heat, but that heat had been tolerable in a relatively dry climate. It was the humidity that really got you here in Konoha, making the air feel multiple degrees warmer than the actual temperature outside.

I let my thoughts drift for a brief moment to my young neighbor.

Poor Naruto was probably on the verge of a heatstroke by now. The boy had only recently been assigned to his genin squad with Hatake Kakashi, just as I remembered. However, I had not realized just how hard Kakashi would push them with all the low-ranking missions to perform.

I'd hardly seen Naruto over the past week or so, the young ninja was consistently occupied with many D-ranks and would return quite late at night. And I could only imagine how hot and tired he must be today, with the sweltering heat the way it was. I didn't envy him in the slightest, that was for sure.

I dabbed at the sweat on my hairline with my sleeve for what seemed like the thousandth time already, watching as Machi pulled out a slim, wooden fan from her obi and unfurled it to begin waving it vigorously at her reddened cheeks.

When days got too hot, like this one seemed to be, many shoppers preferred to run their errands at dawn or dusk, staying indoors for the hottest hours of the day. It was often that stands and shops would close down as well when the heat became too much to handle.

But I wouldn't be closing anything today, despite the heat. There were still enough customers sprinkled throughout the hours to warrant keeping my stand open and bearing through the rays of the sun. I was fortunate to have a canopy over my stand, one that my grandfather had built years ago and I had hung paper, cut-out decorations from.

We had made the decorations together, my grandmother had apparently been a lover of kirigami, the art of paper cutting, and I found that it was a fun craft as a young girl. I continued to make new kirigami paper decorations over the years, changing them out every few weeks or so to hang my new creations from the canopy of my vegetable stand. I had gotten good after years of practice, and the bright decorations caught the eyes of many market-goers, which, in turn, attracted more business.

Laughter from Machi was what tore me from my thoughts on the delicate, paper decorations.

"Ne, Kimari-chan!" She called jovially, a hint of amusement and taunt carrying in her voice. "Better brace yourself!"

I looked up hesitantly, her voice sounded a bit _too_ cheerful. It was a tone she only used for certain situations, and my stomach coiled nervously as I remembered that today was Wednesday, which could only mean one thing.

Wednesday was the day that Maito Gai came for his vegetables, claiming that mine and 'Jii-san's produce was the most, and I quote, ' _deliciously nutriciously youthful sustenance within the supreme land of eternal fire_ '.

I wasn't sure I was prepared for what was about to take place.

"GOOD AFTERNOON, BLOSSOM OF KONOHA! I HAVE RETURNED TO PURCHASE YOUR PRODUCE!"

But I supposed I didn't truly have much of a choice. He was coming alright, whether I was ready or not.

I heard him long before I saw him approaching, the loud voice carrying and projecting throughout the marketplace. Shopkeepers ducked under their stands and closed their booths in anticipation, choosing that exact moment to take their lunch or close their stall to go on break. The market looked quite empty now.

Coincidence? I highly doubted it.

I rolled my shoulders back, took a deep breath, plastered a false smile to my face, rooted my feet firmly to the ground, and turned to face the eccentric, leotard-sporting shinobi of the Leaf.

"Good afternoon, Maito-san, how may I help you?"

And then he was there, appearing in front of me with astounding speed that I never truly got used to, even though he had been buying vegetables from my grandfather and I since I was eleven.

"And what divine selections do you have for me this week? The eggplant from last week was so delicious I could hardly contain myself! Such rich _nutrients_ , such bold _flavor_!" He clutched at his heart dramatically before kneeling to bring his head level with my vegetables, inspecting each one with a sharp gaze.

He had, thankfully, lowered his volume somewhat upon arriving at my stand to peruse my selection of produce. I took his dramatics in stride, answering in a steady and mellow tone.

"This week I have more eggplant, corn, cucumber, edamame, and bitter melon. The corn is the first of the harvest, so the flavor isn't as sweet as it will be in another week or two." I advised, and he nodded seriously, picking up an ear of corn and inspecting it in grave contemplation.

The first fruits of the harvest always tasted less flavorful than a mid-season harvest.

"Yes, yes, of course." He continued to nod vigorously, as if we were discussing a cure for terminal diseases instead of an ear of corn. "I shall treasure your insight! What scrumptious and nutritious bounty of nature would you recommend?"

"The okra and cucumber are at peak harvest right now; the flavor is very nice and refreshing. I prefer the cucumber, myself." I answered honestly.

And it wasn't a lie, the cucumber was wonderfully refreshing in the heat, especially when chilled.

"A wonderful suggestion! Please bag them for me, Kimari-chan!"

I immediately did as requested of me, taking the reusable bags from his outstretched hands and loading them with the majority of produce I had carefully arranged on my display. The man sure did eat a lot of veggies, though I could see why he needed the extra food, he hardly stopped to breath and never ceased his training. And somehow, despite all of it, still had energy to spare.

Before I had ever moved in next door to Naruto, Maito Gai was the only character that had ever become acquainted with me, and that was only because Maito Dai, his father, had also bought vegetables from my grandfather.

I traded the bags for the coins, the amount smaller than normal because of our discount to active service ninja and veterans, a policy that 'Jii-san had insisted on and one that I upheld in his memory.

Maito Gai, however, had always insisted on doing a little extra, claiming that the discount was too generous. So, a tradition had been born between the odd shinobi and my grandfather and I. Gai would only accept the discounted produce if we challenged him to new levels of physical fortitude.

And judging by the way he was now looking to me expectantly, he was more than ready to receive his weekly challenge. The man was practically bouncing in anticipation.

"Alright, Maito-san, I thought hard about it this time." I said, forcing a tone of mock-seriousness.

"I am ready! Bestow upon me your demand!"

"Five hundred push-ups while maintaining a handstand, on top of the hokage mountain." His face brightened at my newest challenge for him, and he flashed me a terrifying smile that I was sure he meant to be charming. I suppressed the urge to cringe.

"A perfect challenge! I will leave immediately to do as you have requested, beautiful blossom born of Spring!"

He was gone before I had the chance to tell him I had been born in Autumn, disappeared in a whirlwind about as quickly as he had appeared, no doubt off to the top of the hokage mountain to begin his push-ups.

I ignored the way that Machi was cackling from across the way in her family's stand. It was amusing, however, to note that the rest of the vendors at the market all seemed to miraculously return from their well-timed breaks around the same time, just as Gai had left.

I exhaled the breath I'd been holding, caught Machi's amused glance, and promptly burst into laughter along with her.

This village was sure full of distinct personalities, that was much was certain. I never seemed to have a boring day.

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* * *

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"'Ka'? No, 'tsu'. Wait, no, it would be 'su', wouldn't it? No, that's not right either…" My grip on the library book tightened, crisp white pages of poetry within the borrowed book crinkling slightly in my frustration.

It was a lovely evening, and I had taken my book, some spare paper, along with a pencil to the top of the roof of my apartment complex. The fading lights of day were mixing beautifully in the sky, a myriad of bright colors that blended and swirled like the easel of an artist.

I might have taken longer to appreciate the gorgeous sunset if I had not been so upset with my current endeavors. It seemed that, no matter how hard I tried with my limited education, I never really got a good grip the strange symbols that they used for their writing system.

"I think this one is the symbol for 'field'…no, it has to be 'tree'. Or was it 'mountain', maybe?"

I was about ready to rip my hair out as I continued to mumble to myself.

I was copying the poetry from the library book I had taken the day prior onto fresh paper, copying the kanji symbol by symbol and trying to piece together what the words of the poems might be with the limited knowledge I had of the Japanese writing system.

Kanji was a monster.

It made little sense to me, even after years of attempting to remember all the symbols and the grammatical rules and structures. It had taken little time at all to learn the language, spoken language was something that came relatively easy for me, but the three different writing systems were something I'd never truly been able to grasp.

It was so unlike Arabic, the beautiful cursive alphabet that connected and flowed like a gentle breeze across the paper. It was so unlike any alphabet I was familiar with from my past life, but I supposed that was why I had never gotten a good hold on it; it wasn't an alphabet at all.

The Kanji and Hiragana writing systems were even vastly different from each other. Hiragana was closer to an alphabet, a system of syllables used to almost 'spell out' the spoken language, which made it much easier to use and comprehend. Hiragana had been easy to learn and had given me little trouble. Unluckily for me, the elemental nations seemed to prefer the use of Kanji over the more simplified Hiragana.

Kanji was completely symbol based, and there was no way to spell out anything phonetically. Each symbol looked somewhat different from each other, which meant that the only way to be able to read and write to a point of literacy with Kanji was to memorize thousands and thousands of symbols and be able to use them interchangeably.

And, as if that wasn't tough enough already, there were times when the two different writing systems were blended together. Hiragana was used as a sort of 'glue' for the sentence structures, for things like conjugations or particles that had no symbol or equivalent in Kanji.

So, what the end result came out as on paper looked more like a jumbled soup of unintelligible Kanji with bits or Hiragana sprinkled throughout.

It was, as you can imagine, thoroughly frustrating.

My goal of literacy was one that was years in the making, but I truly had no idea where to go for better instruction. There weren't classes for adults for this sort of thing, and I had only received a year and a half of formal education at the civilian academy before I had been forced to drop out to help my grandfather when the war got worse and times got tough. It was also somewhat embarrassing to admit that I couldn't really read or write, as a twenty-year-old woman ought to.

By the time the war with Suna was over, I was much too far behind my peers to entertain the idea of being able to catch up, and my grandfather was of a generation that had lived before the school in our village was even constructed. He wasn't literate either, and he didn't believe it mattered.

When we were younger, Machi and I had attempted to put our heads together and combine our limited knowledge to see if we could teach ourselves, but it had failed. She had never even been enrolled in school at all, her father had only deemed it necessary for her to learn to manage the accounts and learn the family business. So, she could haggle somebody's last coin away from them, knew how to tell quality silks from false or lower quality fabrics, and could balance her family's accounts, but she didn't know how to read.

I sighed in defeat, lowering my pencil to my lap and lifting my hand to rub at my temples. I had a headache coming on, and could already feel the subtle pounding in the back of my skull. Perhaps it was time to call it quits for the night and get some rest. I hadn't been feeling very well over the last few days, and had noticed the beginning symptoms of what felt like cold or flu yesterday.

My mind made up, I snapped the book shut and gathered my materials, crumpling the sloppy kanji characters angrily in my grasp and shoving it inside the folds of my yukata.

 _If I haven't learned by now I probably never will. Ya Allah, why is this writing system so complicated?_

I continued my internal grumblings as I found the staircase that lead back down from the roof of the building to the level my apartment was on, fishing around in my clothing for my keys as I moved down the stairs, exited the staircase, and turned the corner to bring me into view of my front door.

"Hey! Kimari-nee! Long time no see!"

The loud volume of his voice startled me so much so that I gasped in surprise and dropped the book and my papers of copied Kanji and Hiragana, sending the papers fluttering to the ground in a mess.

"Hello, Naruto-kun." I heaved an exasperated sigh, mumbling an agitated greeting to him as I bent to begin retrieving my materials.

"Sorry, Nee-chan." He gave a small laugh and sheepish apology for having scared me, an occurrence that was quite common, unfortunately.

Years of living through shelling and missile strikes in my last life, as well as living under the constant fear and stress of being discovered in this life had led to some very real and very extreme anxiety for me. It was something I struggled with daily, and at times it seemed to take over my life.

He squatted down next to me and picked up a few of the papers, shuffling them back in order. I paused for a moment when I felt that tell-tale tickle in the back of my throat, turning my head to the side and covering my mouth with the sleeve of my yukata as I coughed, the sound wet and just screaming 'sick'.

I didn't miss the curious glance he sent my way as he handed them back to me.

"Whatcha doin' with all this?" His tone was curious, blue eyes honing in on the sloppy Kanji that littered the paper that held my many unsuccessful attempts at deciphering the poem from earlier. "And you don't sound too good, you feelin' okay, Nee-chan?"

"It's nothing much, really, just studying some poetry. And it's just a little cold." I replied breezily, attempting to redirect his focus elsewhere. "You've been working hard lately, no?"

"You betcha! And you'll never guess where I'm going tomorrow!"

 _Redirection successful._

How simple it was to direct his attention where I wanted it. He was like a poster-child for ADHD.

"Where?" I tried, lifting a curious brow as I gathered all my papers back together and stood along with him, my frustration from early now abandoned.

You just couldn't stay angry around this kid, he had a way of finding joy in just about anything.

"No way, you gotta guess. I'll bet you'll never get it!" He demanded as he took a seat next to me on the ground, both of our backs to the outer wall of the apartment building.

"Hmmm." I stroked my chin, pretending to be deep in thought for his amusement. "Are you going to train with your sensei?"

"Nah, good guess though. I'll give you one more try."

"I've got it!" I clapped my hands together. He looked back at me, eyes sparkling as he waited my next attempt. "You're going to come to my vegetable stand tomorrow and buy something healthy for yourself instead of that junk food you eat! I've got some eggplants and carrots just for you, I'll make sure to save them."

"No way, gross!" He stuck his tongue out for emphasis, and I elbowed his ribs for sport. "I'll just tell you, you won't guess it." He stated in such reassurance that I could only nod along. "I'm going to the Land of Waves!"

My heart leapt in my throat.

 _So soon?_

I had thought there might be more time until then. It was hard to have a good sense of time, between our daily lives here and what I remembered from the canon plot. I remembered what would happen, assuming that it all proceeded as normal, but I wasn't sure about exact timelines, or even how much time passed between these events.

"O-oh, really? Is it for a mission?" I asked nervously, as if I didn't already know the answer.

"Yeah, an escort mission, my first real mission to another land! Pretty cool, huh? I'll bet you're jealous, right?"

I took a brief moment to collect myself, attempting to rejoin the conversation as naturally as possible.

"Very jealous." I nodded along, which seemed to appease him. "They're famous for their roasted seaweed and water chestnuts, I've always wondered what it tastes like. You'll have to tell me how the vegetable stands there look."

His face fell somewhat.

"All you think about is stupid ol' vegetables." He grumbled, albeit light-heartedly.

I laughed at that, though the chuckle quickly morphed into a cough. Turning my head to the side and hacking into my yukata sleeve once more, I earned myself a worried look from the young pre-teen.

"You should go rest, Nee-chan, so you don't get sick." He said, this time in complete seriousness, and I nodded in agreement. I was definitely coming down with something, of that much I was sure.

"I will. Help me up, genin-san?" I asked with a small smile and he immediately complied, helping to my feet and seeing me to my door.

My keys jangled as I turned the lock until it clicked and the knob twisted to allow me access to my apartment. I stepped inside and turned, chewing at my bottom lip for a moment as I contemplated what to say.

He was leaving tomorrow, to take part in a mission that would eventually lead him to face off with one particularly vicious S-ranked missing nin and his subordinate. But he didn't know that, he had no idea what awaited him in Wave Country.

So far, things had proceeded according to the plot, my existence here hadn't seemed to have too much of an effect on anything, and I could only hope it would continue throughout this mission as well.

"Naruto-kun?" I called hesitantly when he turned to leave, and he looked back when I spoke his name aloud. "Just…be careful, okay? You have to become Hokage one day, so come back safe. I'll be waiting to hear you say 'tadaima'."

His eyes widened drastically, mouth falling open to gape at my words.

It hit me then, as I observed his astounded expression, that this might just be the first time anyone had said something like that to him. But in that moment, I didn't care. I just wanted him to come back safe and sound, so that he could live his life the way it was meant to have been lived without any interferences from my existence here.

This boy deserved to have his dream fulfilled, and I would do my best to make sure my being here didn't directly or indirectly stand in the way of him living a full and happy life. He would become the Hokage one day, I'd make sure of it.

"I'll come back safe, Kimari-nee. That's a promise-'ttebayo."

 _Please bring him back, God. I don't know why I'm here, or what purpose this is all for, but please bring him home so he can live fully. Keep him safe._

"And if I say 'tadaima', you gotta say 'okaeri', got it?" He gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up and a large grin for emphasis.

"Alright, it's a deal." And with a warm smile that I returned to him, I shut my door, taking his promise and hoping desperately that it was a promise he would be keeping.

I tried to go about the rest of my evening routine as normally as possible.

However, when my dinner was ready and the simmered vegetables and rice sat in front of me, I found I had no appetite. My stomach was roiling, and it wasn't just from the nervous anxiety that was eating at me as I worried for Naruto's mission – I truly felt sick.

I boxed the food to eat at a later date, cleaned the kitchen, and trudged towards the bathroom.

I took some time to splash some cool water on my face, and it was then that I realized that the water felt much cooler than it ought to. Lifting a palm to my forehead, I was able to confirm what I had already begun to suspect – a fever, and a high one at that.

My skin was scorching, hot to the touch. A thin layer of sweat clung to my form as my body fought whatever virus it seemed I had picked up.

 _I'll just take Naruto's advice and rest up, I'll probably be fine by morning._

With that thought I slipped out of my clothing, put on my nightclothes, and crawled onto the futon in my bedroom.

I didn't bother with the covers, and had hardly felt my eyes flutter closed before the clutches of sleep overtook me, the pounding in my head and heated skin giving way to a feverish sleep filled with horrible nightmares – along with the memories of my past life that I would have rather forgotten.

.

* * *

.

Kyohei was once again scowling.

Their Jinchuuriki had already left the village hours ago on his first mission beyond the Land of Fire and the rest of his squad had been dismissed back to their normal rotations until he returned, but not Kyohei.

He was stuck in the same god-forsaken tree he had been in for the last five weeks, watching Sasaki Mari as she writhed and sweat on top of her bedding.

It had been almost a day now that she had been stuck in a lucid and feverish state, and Kyohei was beginning to get nervous.

Surely, somebody would know to come check on her, right? One of her neighbors? A friend? She hadn't left her apartment in a day, and from what he had observed had also not risen from her futon since the moment she had lain her head down on it. Whatever illness she had, it was certainly a nasty one.

He could see the sweat on her body all the way from his perch in the trees, he could hear her ragged coughing and wheezing as well. And she didn't show any signs of snapping out of it any time soon. He shifted where he stood, channeling more chakra to his eyes so he could sharpen his vision like a hawk.

The cool, buzzing sensation of the pin-pointed chakra made his eyes tingle, but it allowed him a better look at the sickly woman that he needed.

Her hair was plastered to her head, the long brown locks tangled and soaked in perspiration. Her clothing clung tightly to her body, outlining her womanly figure and making the labored rise and fall of her chest all the more prominent. Her skin was pale, paler than it normally was – and the girl was already quite fair-skinned in the first place.

He cut off the excess chakra to his eyes, allowing his vision to return to normal.

Kyohei crossed his arms, fingers drumming against his forearms in relentless indecision.

He was only on surveillance duty, it wasn't his job to play nursemaid. But then again, if the fever didn't break and nobody came to help her, there was a fair chance she might succumb to the illness or live with irreparable damage to her brain and body if her bodily temperature ran high enough. And so far, it looked as if she was completely on her own.

His frown tugged deeper on his lips. Out of all the postings he could possibly have been assigned, he had to have been assigned to this? He wasn't quite sure what to do. He wasn't an iryo-nin or a nurse, nor did he want to play the part.

He could just leave her there, sure, but even he had morals. The Hokage most likely wouldn't question his intentions or motives if he intervened to get her the help it seemed she desperately needed. The job description for this assignment hadn't mentioned anything about what to do in the case she might need help, but then again, it hadn't mentioned anything saying his involvement was explicitly forbidden, per se.

He continued drumming his fingers against his arms, the indecision of what to do eating at him as he watched her lips move in fevered mumblings, oblivious to her surroundings.

Most likely lucid, he surmised darkly, which could only mean that the fever was getting too high for her body to handle. He needed to make a decision, and he needed to do it fairly soon.

Out of plain curiosity, he channeled chakra to his already sensitive ears next, the cool trickle of energy slowly making its way through his tenketsu to flood into his eardrums.

Immediately, he could hear it all. Her neighbor on the level beneath her was washing dishes. The man down the street was humming a lullaby to a screaming baby. A dog barked from two kilometers south of where he stood. A bird chirped in the tree adjacent to him. He could hear every damned cricket in the entire village.

The noises swam in his head, momentarily overwhelming his senses, until he focused with the expertise he was known for to narrow his range of hearing so that the girl was all he could hear, blocking out the barrage of random sounds that threatened to split his head in two. And then it was quiet, the only thing he could hear was the mumbled speech that slurred from her lips.

He listened for a moment, unable to make out what it was she was saying. The words were slurred, her speech completely unintelligible. His eyes narrowed at the strange-sounding words and mumbled speech.

He briefly entertained the notion that perhaps he hadn't directed enough chakra to his ears, but quickly threw that thought out when she finally spoke one word aloud clearly enough to make out.

He staggered backwards when he heard it, nearly losing his footing on the tree limb with wide eyes and a heart that pounded so hard he feared it might dislodge itself from his chest.

" _Astaghfirullah."_

That wasn't a word that was part of the common tongue spoken within the elemental nations.

He balked at the sound of it, realizing then why the lucid and fevered mumblings of the sick woman sounded so odd to him. None of what had left her mouth was anything that was recognizable because she was no longer speaking the common tongue. There was only one spoken language in this world of theirs, and she wasn't speaking any known dialect of it.

But that wasn't what shocked him so violently. No, not at all.

What made his heart pound in his throat, what made his blood roar in his ears, what made his eyes bulge in disbelief, was the fact that he knew exactly what language it was that fell from her feverish lips. He recognized it, though it had been twenty-eight years since he had last heard anything other than Japanese.

He was almost certain she was speaking Arabic. And the reason he knew that fact and had been able to identify the language he should never have been able to know was simple:

Before Inuzuka Kyohei had been born as Inuzuka Kyohei, he had lived and died as Ivan Mikhailov.

And suddenly, Kyohei's life had just gotten much more interesting.

 **A/N Part 2 – "Astaghfirullah" means 'I seek forgiveness from God', it's a prayer of sorts. I won't add a ton of Arabic or foreign language in this fic, but when I do, there will be cultural or linguistic explanations at the bottom of the chapter for your ease and convenience.**


	4. Chapter 4

**WARNING! - If you have ever lived in an active war-zone, or through any sort of similar conflict and feel like you may be triggered by reading descriptions of one, I would recommend skipping the italicized portion of this chapter. It's not too gory or descriptive with violence, but I just want you guys to take care of your health.**

 **Language warning for Kyohei's potty mouth.**

 **.**

* * *

.

"ANBU Hare, report. You may speak freely from your ANBU identity for the time being."

At the Hokage's command, Kyohei materialized in front of the village leader, crouched just above the ground in reverence.

The turmoil that ravaged within him was not visible on his face. His trademark, Inuzuka smirk was painted on his lips with perfection instead, his body posture casual despite his uniform and position. The raging thoughts and emotions had been shoved so far down inside of him that he almost forgot they existed.

 _Almost_.

Nevertheless, he played his role perfectly. He'd had twenty-eight years of practice, he could do this.

He appeared casual, cocky, and collected, as per usual. He couldn't afford a slip, the old man sitting behind the desk was still one of the most powerful shinobi in the world, and extremely perceptive as well. Kyohei proceeded as normally as he could, keeping that thought in mind.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Kyohei removed his mask, allowing his features to display the feral grin he was well known for, Inuzuka canines glistening.

"It has now been five weeks of surveillance. What are your thoughts on the continuation of your current assignment? Have there been any changes to note that you have not already concluded in your reports?" He demanded, beady eyes peering curiously over that old pipe that continued to emit a foul-smelling smoke.

 _You mean other than the fact that the woman isn't from this world and I don't know where her loyalties lie yet? Other than the fact that your most trusted ANBU captain and squad leader is a fraud, just like her? Other than the fact that I know everything that's going to happen here? Yeah, everything's good. Just peachy._

His internal tirade was heavily laden with vicious sarcasm, but he only responded with a careful lie that he desperately hoped the veteran and leader would buy. Neither his chakra signature nor his tone wavered as he spoke.

"No, Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen nodded, continuing to appraise him with an unreadable gaze.

"And what are your opinions on her? Are her intentions pure?"

Kyohei prepared himself. Ivan had always had a penchant for the dramatics, and he had been one hell of a gambler in his past life. His poker face was one of the best, and he could only hope that it was good enough to fool the man in front of him.

"That woman wouldn't even kill a spider if you payed her five million ryo." He sighed, running a hand through his hair for emphasis. "She's a bit of a pushover too, too kind for her own good. She's even been trying to teach the brat some manners, and I'll be damned if it isn't working. They have a relationship like cousins or siblings, sort of like Kiba and I. Oh, and let me tell ya, when she makes yakitori it smells so good -"

"Your point, Kyohei-kun?" Interrupted his superior with a small smile.

"Ah, right. My point is that in five weeks of on and off surveillance, I haven't seen one malicious intention from her. She isn't a threat, I'd bet my life on it. Looks like it's doing Uzumaki some good, too." He relayed his lie strongly, attempting to make it sound full of conviction and assurance. "So, can I please have another assignment already?"

The Hokage actually chuckled aloud at his last statement, shaking a head at his brazen demand.

Inwardly, the Inuzuka felt the fear in his chest dissipate somewhat – Hiruzen had always shown a soft spot towards Kyohei, and never had Kyohei been anything but loyal to him. He had even taken a kunai in the gut for his Hokage years ago during an assassination attempt, when he'd been a fresh ANBU recruit desperate to prove his worth and ready to lay down his life for the man who had recruited him and given him something to fight for in this new world.

Hiruzen had been the one to gift him with a purpose in his second life when he'd been drifting aimlessly with no real direction. He'd been a soldier in his first life, and shinobi in the next, but Hiruzen had helped him to understand the reason behind why they fought under the Will of Fire, why they killed for it. It was his Hokage who had helped him to foster a profound love for this village, the same love he had once held for his homeland in his first life. He had given Kyohei the drive to make himself into a high-ranking Jonin and ANBU member, he had given Kyohei the drive to keep fighting. Hiruzen, the man he was betraying in this very moment, was the man he owed everything to.

Kyohei would not have been the man he was today without Sarutobi Hiruzen.

He let none of those past ties cloud his mind now, however. Hiruzen was smart and cunning, and even if the man might never have suspected such insubordination and treachery from him, he would remain on guard, the stakes were too high not to.

Treason, that was exactly what he was committing at this very moment.

The funny part was that he hadn't even thought about it – his mind had been made up to help the woman from the moment he realized she was just like him, lost and alone. He may have found a reason to fight for this village, but at the end of the day he was still a stranger living amongst strangers who weren't supposed to exist with no real reassurance that he was doing the right thing in this world, or why he had been brought here in the first place.

Kimari was still recovering inside her apartment, but when she awoke she was in for the surprise of a lifetime, as well as an interrogation.

It was his deepest hope, a desperate wish, that she would have the answer he sought. Perhaps she would know the answer to the question he had been searching for an explanation to for the past twenty-eight years. Maybe she would be the one to offer him the enlightenment to bring peace to his soul with that answer. And that peace was something he would give anything for.

The question itself was simple, so simple it was laughable. But that one, singular question that had seemed so simple at the beginning had morphed into a complexity unlike any that he had ever pondered upon.

The question?

 _Why? Why am I here?_

And so, he had betrayed his village in an instant, the village he had been born and raised in, the village that he had come to love just as much as his homeland from his first life. The village he had killed for, the village he had promised to die for.

All of it, he had betrayed without a single regret. Just so he could find out if she knew.

And if she didn't know? Well, he supposed he still would have made that same decision to protect her, regardless of what information she could offer him. He had spent years wondering, searching for clues or trails that might indicate there were others like him, but she was the first he had encountered in what was now almost three decades.

He didn't know if he was making the right choice or not, he didn't know if his treason would be worth it in the end, and he certainly didn't know who Kimari really was or where her loyalties landed. All he knew was that he didn't feel quite so alone anymore, and that feeling of companionship empowered him with the confidence he needed to commit treason.

She would understand him, on a more intimate level than anyone had for the entirety of his life here. She knew would know what it felt like, she would understand the trials and tribulations of becoming somebody else, of leaving your last life to be shoved into a mold that didn't fit quite right in the next one, wearing the skin of somebody else while living with the memories of another place and time.

Sure, he fit right in with the Inuzuka. He truly felt like he belonged with them, and he would lay his life down for any single member of his clan. But he still went to bed each night with that unsettling question of who he really was and what he was doing here.

So, he lied.

"I suppose that settles things." The elder man affirmed, his voice still carrying the ghost of his previous laugh. "You will have two weeks of paid vacation for your hard work, after that time is up your squad will be reinstated for field work."

"Field work, Hokage-sama?" He questioned immediately, before he'd truly had a chance to process the relief in his heart when the old man had taken his word as truth.

"There are a few sensitive missions on the horizon, and your Special Operations Squad is the best fit for the tasks at hand. Squad Seven will be reassigned to guard Naruto-kun. I want my best trackers and short-range fighting specialists on this upcoming mission, and you and your squad are the best."

Now that caught his attention.

In the last year, he had only been relieved of surveillance duties and temporary rotations in the Hokage Guard when there was a mission so delicate that only the best of the best were sent to take care of things. It didn't happen often, only a few times a year at most.

But what could possibly be so sensitive that his squad was being removed from their duty as Jinchuuriki baby-sitters?

The shock must have registered on his face, because the pipe-smoking man voiced a question to him almost immediately.

"Have you any questions, Kyohei-kun?"

 _About a million, old man._

"This reassignment to active field duty, is it temporary or permanent?" It was the only question out of the many that were surfacing in his mind.

"Time will tell. I expect this reassignment to be long-term, however. Our most skilled trackers and combat specialists will be needed for these missions. There seems to be trouble brewing throughout the elemental nations, and I have a suspicion as to who might be behind it."

"Then, I'm being relieved of my surveillance duty for the time being?" Kyohei could have sighed in relief. This change in assignments would mean it would be easier to get to the girl without being noticed, especially if she was not going to be scrutinized under surveillance any longer. And he couldn't deny he preferred field work over the boredom that accompanied surveillance duty. "Finally, some action!"

Hiruzen's lips quirked once more in unrestrained amusement.

"Indeed. In two weeks you will be assigned to normal Jonin missions when you are not taking part in these covert operations with your ANBU squad. Enjoy your vacation, ANBU Hare."

The dismissal was evident in his tone, and the fact that he had switched from calling him by his given name to his ANBU identity made his instructions clear.

Kyohei slid his mask back atop his face, dropping his voice to the neutral tone expected of all ANBU agents.

"Hai, Hokage-sama."

And with that, he disappeared from view, masking his chakra and casting a cloaking jutsu over his form as he jumpted between rooftops as quickly as he could back towards the woman's apartment, where he had left her with a clone to care for her and fuinjutsu privacy seals plastered over four of her walls.

It was time to get down to business.

.

* * *

.

 _Explosions in the distance, growing louder and louder as the shelling neared the neighborhood her family resided in._

 _Lamees' feet pounded on the dusty streets, tattered shoes leaping over bits of debris and chunks of what used to be buildings. A raging fire here, broken body there, but none of it mattered. Her hijab was slipping backwards, but in that moment, she wasn't concerned._

 _There were no air raid sirens, no warning for those who were out and about to take cover, to pray for deliverance from the missiles and shells that continued to strike mercilessly at their targets. It was common that the governing body carrying out the strike would send a few warning shots first, as if a few warning shots could somehow make the inevitable destruction that followed a bit more ethical._

 _These were not warning shots, however, not this time._

' _Don't forget to pick up your brothers after school, habibti.' Her mother had warned her earlier with a look of disapproval when she found her daughter with her medical textbooks, once again hiding away with her head in her studies instead of helping her in the bakery. 'You're already late, think of my poor baby boys, waiting all by themselves because my lazy daughter is off with her head in her books again! Yallah! Go!'_

 _So, she went._

 _It wasn't long after she left the house, realizing that she really was quite late, that the air raid began. And now her walk had turned into a desperate sprint._

 _Her eyes were focused on the thick clouds of black smoke that billowed into the sky. The plumes of smoke smothered the sun, the dust made her lungs feel thick, and the tears that streamed down her face mixed with the blood that poured from a wound on her temple that had most likely been inflicted by shrapnel of some sort. But she didn't stop, she couldn't stop._

 _She pushed forward, increasing her pace, even as the shelling continued and her ears rang from the horrible noise of roaring explosions._

 _Somebody called out to her as she ran past, attempting to grab at her arm and instructing her to turn back and head towards cover like a sane woman. She only ripped her hand from the older woman's wrinkled grasp and continued on. She wondered if her family had found somewhere safe to hide when the bombings began. There were no official shelters throughout their city._

 _Or perhaps her father was on top of their roof again, shaking his fist angrily at the sky again, as if his anger could somehow stop the destruction in its track. It wouldn't be the first time. He was fed up with it, they all were._

 _She paid no attention to the voices that pleaded with her to turn around, all she could see was the plume of black smoke continuing to rise towards the heavens from the same location her two youngest brothers waited on her to pick them up after school every day._

 _She grasped at her abaya, pulling it up as she leapt over a piece of twisted metal before turning down another narrow street as she finally neared her destination._

 _Her feet slowed from a run, to a jog, to a haggard walk, and then to a complete stop._

 _She felt her heart drop when she saw it. She reached out a hand towards the sight, fingers trembling and her eyes wide in disbelief. She no longer heard the explosions in the distance, the screams of those running to take cover, the whistling of bombs as they fell through the smoky air. All she could hear was her heartbeat in her ear._

 _In front of her, the front gates to the library where her two youngest brothers always waited for her, was nothing but blackened rubble, scorched earth, fire, and blood._

 _In that moment, she wished she had died with them. She wished that she could do something, anything. She wished she could resurrect the blood-soaked earth and plead with the angels of death on behalf of her two brothers._ _But all she could do was fall to her knees, staring with wide eyes at the grotesque scene before her._

 _Omar and Laith, the two youngest of their family at ages five and seven, were gone._

The chirping of birds sounded like gongs ringing in my ear.

The sound, once beloved to be heard, was now utterly and completely obnoxious as my head pounded vigorously in one of the worst headaches I'd ever had. I groaned and rolled over atop my futon, wiping furiously at my eyes when I realized I had shed tears in my sleep.

I rolled onto my back, hair and limbs splayed out messily, and stared at the ceiling, face blank as I recalled the worst tragedy that I had ever lived through. Or, the worst tragedy Lamees had lived through.

When the nightmares came, when the memories of my past life assaulted my mind as I slept, it became hard to maintain that degree of separation between my two lives that kept my sanity intact.

There were times I would wake up, expecting to hear the sounds of my mother in the kitchen mixing _za'atar,_ listening to see if Marwah and Amal had started fighting yet over who got to use the bathroom first, a fight that Amal always won. I would listen eagerly to hear my father reciting Qur'an, or humming some of his favorite folk tunes while he tended to the garden he treasured so dearly. I would wait and listen for the blaring of the _Athan_ from the minarets that were sprinkled throughout the city to alert the residents of Gaza City that it was time to pray.

And then I would hear the silence, open my eyes, and find my empty apartment, void of any life other than my own. No mother in the kitchen, no siblings fighting, no sweet recitations, no call to prayer, and nobody to see me cry.

I closed my eyes a brief moment, listening to the stifling silence, and exhaled lowly. I was alone, as I had been since the death of my grandfather.

And then, I heard my tea kettle whistle.

My eyes flew open in an instant.

I sat up slowly, blinking rapidly and staring in the direction of my closed bedroom door that led towards the open kitchen and living room space, wondering if perhaps my mind was playing tricks on me. But the high-pitched whistling of the kettle only grew louder, until it stopped, which could only mean that it had been removed from the heat.

 _I'm not alone_.

Panic rose in my body, and my breathing began to quicken. I stumbled to my feet, knocking over a glass of water that had not been there when I first felt ill and decided to head to sleep early. I stared at the glass I had just sent water spilling from in shock. Somebody had placed it there for me.

My gaze turned then to the door of my bedroom, and a shadow I saw move just between the bottom of the wooden portal and the floorboards. I crept slowly towards the door, cracking it just enough to allow me to see into the room.

A man sat at my table, his back to me, with two cups of tea steaming on top of the surface.

I reeled backwards, fear overwhelming my mind.

What to say? What to do? Do I run? Hide? Scream? Who was he? I had certainly never seen him before, and what was more, he was wearing combat gear. There was a blade attached to his back.

 _Is he here to kill me?_

I froze, my hand coming up to my mouth to keep the sound of my quickened breathing inside and unheard.

 _A ninja. There's a ninja in my kitchen._

It was a thought I couldn't quite comprehend. My mind was rushing towards any and all worse-case scenarios, ones that involved my being exposed or tortured to death for information. I couldn't move, my body rooted to the spot as my thoughts ran wildly.

"Come drink the tea before it gets cold. We've got a lot to talk about." The low baritone of the intruder's voice carried a confident edge to it, one that sounded cocky.

I retracted my hand from the doorknob as if I had just been electrocuted. My stomach churned as my anxiety soared, the feeling leaving me somewhat light-headed as a result.

 _I think I'm going to be sick._

"I'm a bit short on time." The voice added, though the cockiness had lifted somewhat when he spoke again. "I promise it's not poisoned! It'll probably make you feel better, that was one nasty fever you had."

 _Can I run? No, no way, he's obviously a shinobi, I couldn't outrun him even if I wasn't sick. What in the world is going on?_

I made up my mind then when it became clear I had little say in the matter, reaching back out towards the doorknob, and turning it so that I was able to step out into the living room. He didn't move a muscle as I approached from behind, only glancing at me from the corner of his eyes when I came into view and rounded the table with shuffling and unbalanced steps.

An Inuzuka, I recognized subconsciously, his facial tattoos giving away his heritage in an instant. Messy brown hair, a lopsided and sharp-toothed smirk, and dark eyes that seemed to see straight through me and into my very soul were what greeted me.

I didn't miss the tattoo on his forearm that revealed his line of work.

 _ANBU Black-Ops._

"Why don't you sit down and rest, you don't look so great." He recommended upon seeing how pale I had become, and my body moved on instinct, seeming to recognize that I held no power whatsoever in this situation.

I complied immediately, sinking to the floor seating and shaking like a leaf as I sat across from him at the low table. It had to be a dream, I was sure of it. I could think of no better explanation for what was currently happening.

"Drink the tea, I picked up some herbal medicine yesterday that will help with the fever."

I only gazed at the amber colored liquid that sit steaming in the cup that had been placed in front of me, but I couldn't find the strength to lift my arm and comply. I was frozen like a deer in the headlights.

"W-Wh-Who are-" I couldn't even speak properly as I shrank under his gaze, glancing at the sword he had strapped to his back with an impending sense of horror.

"Inuzuka Kyohei." He replied casually, as if his name somehow answered all the questions inside my mind. In fact, it answered very few questions whatsoever.

He eyed me a moment longer, gaze honing in on pale cheeks and shaking hands, and gave a small smile that looked out of place on his face. I supposed he had meant for it to be encouraging or reassuring – it was not, but his next action was, if only somewhat.

He reached across the table slowly, seeming to understand how jumpy I was, and grasped my tea cup to bring it to his lips before taking a slow sip. I watched him in suspicion and waited to see the muscles of his throat contract in a way that signified he had actually swallowed the liquid. He set the cup back down in front of me, keeping eye contact the entire time.

"It doesn't taste very good, but I promise it's not poisoned. It's a mix of Tulsi and Neem. It'll help break your fever."

He sounded genuine, at least. And he had sipped from the cup himself. The logical part of my mind reiterated the fact that he was a ninja, and could easily have some sort of hidden antidote, but something in my heart told me he spoke the truth.

What was more, I truly did need the medicine. My body still felt hot, a sign that the fever had gone down but not broken, and my head pounded as if a calvary of horses were stampeding through it.

My hand trembled violently as I grasped at the small cup of traditional tea china, the hot, herbal liquid sloshing as I lifted it to my lips and took a cautious sip when I decided to take my chances.

It was bitter, but I recognized the taste as a medicine that helped to cool the body and regulate a fever. Tulsi leaves and Neem root, he hadn't been lying. Tulsi leaves had a pleasant and earthy taste to them, but it was Neem root that spoiled the taste with its bitter brew.

"Good girl." He praised happily, as if speaking to a dog. I stared at him in open astonishment at his words before I remembered which clan he had come from. "Make sure to finish it, you still look like a bit too pale. Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"

 _Business?_

I couldn't think straight, nothing about what was happening here was making sense. I had just awoken from a terrible fever to find a strange man offering me medicine inside my own apartment, and my mind still felt foggy from the heat my body had endured.

I was still suspicious and uneasy, yes, but confusion was the dominating sentiment out of all of what was swarming violently in my chest.

"What's your name?"

 _My name_? _What in the world is he getting at?_

"Sasaki Mari-" I began, only to be cut off immediately with a sentence that changed everything.

I felt time begin to slow when he spoke his next demand aloud, as if the entire universe had stopped spinning in that exact moment to come to a halt when he opened his mouth again.

"No, not that name. What was your name _before_?"

I reeled, my mind spinning as I felt my heart leaping into my throat. A nightmare, it had to be a nightmare. But how could it? I had just awoken from one.

I struggled to keep my face straight as I answered.

"W-what kind of question is that?" I stuttered in confusion and a rising sense of panic. "I'm Sasaki Mari of Konohagakure, I'm not sure what you mean by-"

"Yeah, and I'm the Daimyo of _Hi no Kuni_." He only cocked an eyebrow along with his sarcastic comment, seemingly unimpressed at the bland recitation of the role I had been playing for the last two decades.

Danger, the only rational thought I was currently processing. I was in danger. I'd been found out somehow, I was sure of it. And now? Now what?

Would I be dragged off to T&I, tortured until I revealed something that sounded so ludicrous I doubted they would believe it? Would I be used for information if they did believe me? Or would they just allow a Yamanaka to turn my mind to mush? What would people like Shimura Danzo do if they found out I knew the secrets of this universe?

 _Am I going to die?_

My eyes searched my apartment wildly, for any sort of weapon or means of escape as my panic continued to escalate. It was then that I noticed the paper tags on my walls. Some sort of fuinjutsu, from the look of it. Were they bombs? What in the world was going on?

The air buzzed with tension as I floundered.

"Look, I know this is a lot to take in, but let's just take this slow, you're still healing-"

"Are you..." I trailed off, hoarse voice struggling to string words together in my fright and confusion. "Are you here to kill me?"

He choked on air, looking a fine mix of complete shock, exasperation, mild amusement, and sympathy for what I must be feeling.

"Kill you? No – I – that's not why I'm here!"

"Then why are you here?" I demanded, my voice rising loudly. My body shook as I eyed the blades strapped to his back. Was it the best idea to yell at an armed ninja who seemed to know more about me than he let on? Probably not, but the situation itself was beginning to make less and less sense, and my heart was pounding so hard I felt like it might just give out. "Don't screw around with me!"

"I promise I'll explain everything!" He was starting to sound a bit panicked now, though I couldn't fathom why. "Just – uh – take some deep breaths!"

 _Deep breaths? You want me to take some deep breaths after you broke into my apartment armed with swords and started hinting at what you might know?_

"Don't tell me what to do!" I spoke, though my tone was much less confident than I had hoped for it to sound. I sounded frightened. "Either do what you came here to do or get out!"

I eyed his blades again, wondering if it would be a quick death.

"Geez, just calm down, okay? I promise you're safe with me." His voice was softer now, though it sounded as though he was unsure of how to handle the situation. "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm here to help you. I probably should have said that at the beginning, huh? Sorry about that."

 _He's here to help me? No, this has to be some sort of trick. They want me to admit it myself, that must be it. They need a confession, right?_

"I don't believe you. I'm just Mari, please, I'm loyal to the village!" My tone was beginning to sound desperate now, and I couldn't stop the tears that began to well in my eyes.

Another sigh and a frown from the ninja sitting casually on the floor with me.

"Look, I've already betrayed this village to keep your secret safe. The Hokage asked me to watch you, and I lied in my reports. I could be executed for this." He admitted, the low baritone of his voice rumbling as he spoke. I looked up as he continued, startled by the information. "You can trust me."

"How?" I mumbled quietly, pushing long and tangled hair from my face to tuck it behind my ear with shaking hands. "How do I know I can trust you?"

A pregnant pause stretched between us. When he finally spoke, my world came crashing down.

"Because my name was Ivan Pavlovich Mikhailov, and I'm the same as you. You're not alone anymore."

I blinked.

Once. Twice. And then again.

"Let's just take things slow, you can drink your medicine, and we can speak. I don't want to stay here too long, at least this time around."

"Why?" Was the only question I could manage at the moment. He replied immediately, no doubt relieved that I hadn't begun crying.

"The Hokage deemed you safe for Naruto to be around and the observation was called off a few days ago, I've been nursing you to health since then, but I want to wait at least a week before anybody sees us together so I don't get suspended from duty for overstepping any boundaries. But for now, let's just chat, can you handle that? We can wait if you'd like."

I gave a mute nod, bobbing my head up and down dumbly as he stood to go take his seat at the other side the table. My mind was spinning as he took his seat across from me once more, grumbling about how the low height of my traditional floor seating was too short for his long legs.

When we were once again seated and I was wiping my eyes with the sleeves of my sleeping clothes, he gave a pointed look towards the tea in front of me. I lifted it obediently with a small sniffle, taking a much longer sip and grimacing at the taste of the herbal medicine mixed in with the tea. He waited until I set the cup back down to speak.

"Alright, I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I do too. But let's start with your name, yeah?" It seemed he had realized that his harsh demeanor from earlier had been too much, because I could now tell he was giving his best attempt at trying to sound reassuring.

It wasn't working.

I took a deep inhalation, closing my eyes and counting to five before letting it out. As I exhaled, my mind now made up, I met his gaze when I allowed my lids to flutter open again.

"Lamees. Lamees Halabi."

A grin stretched over his face, and he gave a sharp nod in return to the information requested of me.

"Which country were you from?" Was his next question, voiced after a moment of silence between us.

The conversation that was occurring in this very moment should have been impossible, and I felt myself beginning to feel somewhat distant from the situation at hand, as if unable to believe or swallow the fact that the shinobi sitting across from me and sipping at tea was also like me.

"Palestine." I answered breathlessly after another silent moment, my voice hardly above a whisper.

"Was it Gaza or the West Bank?" His eyes were alight as he questioned me in terms of geography that no ordinary citizen of Konoha should have been able to know.

 _By Allah, it's really true. He's the same as me._

It was so strange. The entire event felt surreal, as if I was only watching the events play out but not truly present myself. Perhaps I was still lucid and dreaming, but somehow, I doubted it.

"Gaza, the autonomous regions." My voice sounded far away, as if I were many kilometers from where I now sat.

"Gaza, huh?" He pondered aloud to himself in wonder, before focusing back on the information I had just provided him. "Probably had a rough time of it then, yeah?"

Suddenly, I felt tired.

"Yeah, I guess we did." I only answered vaguely, unable to relate to him the memory of living in such a way as I had lived in my previous life. And yet, I would have given anything to return to that life, to see my family just one more time. "Where were you from?" I questioned, eager to direct his attention to himself and provide myself the reassurance I needed.

I was sure I had about as many questions for him as he did for me, assuming this was all real and actually transpiring. I was still slightly skeptical of that fact.

I glanced up, noting a faraway look in his gaze. After a moment of what I assumed to be a brief period reminiscing, he answered.

"Russia. St. Petersburg, to be specific."

No, it had to be real. This was all actually happening. I brought my hands back up to my head again, burying my face from view.

"I'm sorry, this is all too much…"

"Ha! Believe me, I get you." He barked a loud laugh.

A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I scrutinized his face carefully when I asked my next question. He had left out one vital piece of information. I let my hands return to rest in my lap as I spoke.

"How did you find out? I was so careful, this shouldn't be happening right now."

His smug little grin stretched a bit further, which left me feeling slightly irritated with him.

"And by being 'careful', does that include moving in next door to Uzumaki Naruto or am I mistaken? Because I may not specialize in infiltration, but that doesn't exactly sound like low-profile to me, love." His tone was a bit cocky, but I could tell he was only joking with me.

My cheeks still reddened at his words, joke or not.

"I know it's not ideal, but until that point I was doing well." I returned in my defense, looking to the side in embarrassment. He was right, of course, I was fully aware of that fact.

"Not ideal?" He laughed this time, amusement shining in his eyes. "The Hokage launched an investigation on you, I've been watching you for nearly two months now. Thank Kami _that's_ over, do you have any idea how boring your life is?"

"Please answer my question." My voice was tight. "Naruto being my neighbor doesn't explain how you figured it out."

He didn't joke this time, though his tone still sounded lighter.

"You were lucid and dreaming while you were sick, speaking Arabic, I think. Was my guess right? Was it Arabic? I suppose it makes sense if you came from Palestine."

"If you recall correctly, I was asleep, so I can't be sure." I replied dryly.

"Oh ho! Is that sarcasm I detect?" He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest eyes he eyed me in delight before answering. "The military put me through a few months of linguistics training before my deployment for counterterrorism operations. Arabic was one of the language courses, but it wasn't the main focus. So, was I right?"

 _A soldier in his past life? I guess it makes sense he would choose the path of a shinobi in his next life, that doesn't surprise me at all._

"It was probably Arabic. I speak Hebrew and a little English too, but I doubt that was what you heard." I finally relented. I had only ever spoken Hebrew when somebody else didn't speak Arabic, as a default language that held common ground in those lands. Much like English in many areas of the world, and I'd only began studying English to have a better chance at getting a good education somewhere else.

He nodded, but did not speak again. A length of silence stretched between us, the air brimming with tension that was almost tangible.

"And now? What happens now?" My question was terse, my tone strained from the stress of the situation.

"I was hoping _you_ could tell _me_."

I let my eyes drift to his, looking at him strangely as his gaze bored into mine with a type of intensity that seemed to burn through my skin. His attitude had lost its playful edge, and this time, I could tell he spoke in all seriousness, no jokes or nonchalance to be found.

"Do you know?" He asked quietly, piercing eyes searching my own. "Do you know why we're here?"

I looked down, my face blank and mind numb when he voiced that horrible question aloud to me. The fact that he was asking me made it clear that he was unaware of the answer to that question himself. It seemed that he was just as confused as I was in this regard.

Things had changed, that much was certain, but I was still just as lost as before, still uncertain of my continued existence. It was a horrible feeling, to continue living on without any knowledge of purpose of why you were here. An existence without substance or a reason to keep on going was an existence that oftentimes felt meaningless.

But at least I wasn't alone anymore. There was someone else, someone who _knew._

"I don't, I'm sorry. I was hoping _you_ might."

Silence.

I didn't need to look up to sense the disappointment seeping from him.

"Don't worry your pretty little head about it." He mumbled after a few moments of dejected silence. "It was a long shot, anyway. Look, I've got to go now, but I'll be back tomorrow. There's medicine in your pantry, and if it's not gone when I get back you'll Dr. Kyohei to deal with. See, ya later, _Kimari-chan_." And suddenly, the attitude was back, along with that smirk on his face.

He stood, twisting his torso to the right and left to let his spine release a few loud cracks as he stretched.

"Oh, and don't touch the privacy seals I put up, I'm shit at fuinjutsu so they may not be stable."

And then he was gone, disappeared into thin air faster than it took me to blink in shock. A _Shunshin,_ I registered vaguely. I had never seen it performed in such proximity. The air swirled where he had just stood.

I slumped where I sat, allowing my shoulders to sag as I fell into a very unladylike posture. My mind was spinning faster than I was able to keep up with, thousands of questions swarming like angry bees within my head, buzzing furiously and demanding answers that I didn't have.

My body moved on its own, as if on autopilot, doing as Kyohei had instructed and sipping at the foul medicinal tea. My body was numb, and my head felt both empty and ready to burst at the same time.

Out of the millions of thoughts swirling in my head, however, there was one thought that kept surfacing, taking priority over all the other questions and my rational thought process:

 _I'm not alone anymore. There's someone else, someone who knows how it is to live like this, someone I can trust and speak freely in front of…or at least, I hope I can trust him._

I spent a few moments wondering if this could have all been some elaborate ploy to prompt a confession from me, but that thought in itself was disproven by the fact that he had proven to me that he had indeed come from the same world I had.

How else would somebody know the names of the countries we had discussed. He had told me he was from Russia originally, even naming the city that I recalled learning about from my high school days in my past life, and there was no way he could have known those names or that specific geography without having lived it.

He had even known about the conflict and war in my homeland without me needing to tell him it existed.

And I wasn't a ninja by any means, but the raw emotions of hope and desperation swirling in the depths of his eyes when he'd asked if I knew why we were both here, existing when we shouldn't have, was something I had not missed. His emotion was genuine, I felt positive of that fact.

No, he was the same as me.

That cocky Inuzuka had once come from the same world I had. Although, judging by the eight-year age difference between us, we had both been pulled from one world and unceremoniously dumped into another at different times.

Neither of us had any clue why we were here, what had brought us here, what we needed to do, or what fate awaited us in this strange new world.

And perhaps we would never know the answers to any of those questions. Even so, my heart felt warmer than it had in years. It felt good to know I was no longer on my own for this confusing journey of the second chance at life I'd been awarded for reasons unbeknownst to me.

A darker thought entered my mind then.

I shouldn't be too quick to trust. He may have proven his origins as similar to mine, but it was the intentions that truly mattered at the end of the day. And I didn't know what his intentions were.

Although, I argued with myself, he had essentially betrayed the village by choosing to keep this information from the Hokage. And he was correct, that treason would warrant a death sentence for him if he was discovered. What was more, he had nursed me back to health from my state of fever and illness when he hadn't needed to. Even if he wanted to know if I held the answer to why we were here, it would have been easier to let the information of our previous world die with me, it would have been safer for him.

Inuzuka Kyohei had proven that he was an ally to me through his series of grave choices.

Foul mouth, lack of proper manners, cocky attitude, and an infuriating smirk aside, he seemed like a good person at heart based off of our brief interactions together.

 _Although…_

My eyes drifted to the sloppy looking privacy seals he had plastered upon my walls, and I remembered his warning to leave them be. ' _They may not be stable'_ he'd said. I wondered, just how bad he was at fuinjutsu if he had needed to give me such a warning.

I knew next to nothing about that art in particular, and I eyed the tags nervously. What had he meant by 'not stable'? They wouldn't start a house fire or explode or something, would they?

The hairs on the back of my neck rose at the thought.

I finished the tea and set it back down on the low table with a small 'clink'. Out of both a need to clean up my appearance and a desire to put more distance between myself and those strange tags, I decided a bath was in order.

In little more than minutes I was sinking my tired body, still weak from the fever, into the steaming waters that filled my circular, wooden tub. The hot water licked at my skin, relaxing muscles I hadn't realized had been so tense, and soothing my thoughts and inner turmoil.

I let my long locks dip into the water as well, the hair was in need of a thorough wash, but for now I just let it swirl around in the bathwater as I relaxed into the inviting heat.

I contemplated this change in events as I trailed a hand delicately over the surface of the water, creating ripples and disrupting surface tension. My head was leaning against the side of the tub while I hummed absentmindedly to myself.

I had thought my troubles only began after finding out my neighbor was the Jinchuuriki I was so desperately intent on avoiding, but I could see now I had been wrong, oh so very wrong. It seemed as if my troubles were only beginning.

But for the first time in what felt like years, I felt something blossoming in my chest, its vines creeping over my heart and slowly spreading to the rest of my very soul. It was a feeling I hadn't believed existed anymore, not until this very moment, when I realized I was no longer alone and just one small step closer to discovering the truth of my purpose here.

I felt _hope_.

.

* * *

.

 **A/N Part 2 – cultural/language note**

* **Za'atar** – Spice blend used for cooking, baking, and mixing with olive oil to dip bread into. Common on any Palestinian table. Freaking delicious.

* **Athan** – the Islamic call to prayer that comes five times a day to remind followers to stop what they are doing and pray.

* **Abaya** – Looser, Islamic-style dress worn by many, but not all, Muslim women. They are super comfy, and allow you to wear your pajamas underneath them without anyone knowing. Not that I've done that before or anything…


	5. Chapter 5

**Warning – Kyohei's language.**

 **Minor changes to dialogue made 25.11.18**

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* * *

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"Aw, shit."

I frowned at the expletive, but said nothing, instead attempting to focus my attention and what little was left of my patience back to my current endeavors.

My return to the worksheets in front of me was short-lived, however, when I heard a small yip from the large canine sitting next to me to remind me to pay attention. Kyohei had brought his dog this time, and had tasked the animal with keeping me focused on my homework.

I glanced towards the ninken, the large form of the hulking dog was sitting taller than me in my seated form, close enough so that its soft, brown fur was brushing against my yukata. The canine was massive, looking like some sort of bizarre mix between a fierce wolf and a fluffy St. Bernard. Aki, his name was, and the dog had not left my side since Kyohei had ordered it next to me, giving me a nudge with his nose or a small whine any time it looked like I was getting distracted.

Kyohei had given me worksheets of kanji, which was essentially child-level homework for me to complete, while he went to work sealing every inch of my apartment in privacy seals, safety seals, chakra sensing seals to alert him if any foreign chakra entered or was used inside my abode, and a couple others that I was unfamiliar with but had not argued him on.

The only problem was that he truly _was_ as horrible with fuinjutsu as he had claimed before.

Apparently, fuinjutsu was an extremely sensitive art. One wrong stroke or too much chakra used to activate a seal and boom, you've either caused some sort of catastrophe or blown a hole out of the side of a young woman's apartment.

Thankfully, it had yet to come to that. I doubted Yamamoto-baa-san would be very pleased if that was the case, no matter how much she doted on me.

I returned to my kanji exercises, obediently tracing over the symbols and repeating them to myself under my breath as he had instructed me to. It had come as quite the shock to him that I was mostly illiterate, and he had poked fun at me until I snapped a few days ago. He ended up feeling guilty for his teasing afterwards, and the result of his regret was not an apology, but instruction instead.

Kyohei was teaching me how to read and write, and I almost wished he wasn't, even if I was grateful to learn. He was a horrible teacher, and it meant that he had been spending the majority of his free time since our introduction a week ago in my apartment. But it was not just Kyohei – It was Aki now, too.

And that enormous dog of his just kept shedding everywhere. I kept finding tufts of brown fur in all the little nooks of my apartment, no matter how hard I cleaned when they left.

He no longer snuck into the apartment anymore, like he had the first week after we had discovered our similar origins. Now he came, knocked on the door, and waited for me to open it instead of barreling through a window as he had a few times previously. When I had asked why he was now being so open about his visits to my apartment, which had probably been seen by others by now, he had only waved off the question, stating that it was part of his ' _plan'_.

I wasn't sure I wanted to know what this master plan of his was, but he had only asked that I trust him, and I had reluctantly complied. Even if our personalities clashed at times, he had done nothing but help me so far, and I had little reason to doubt him. If I went down, it was likely he would go down with me.

We were a crew of two aboard a sinking ship.

"Damn it-" A few sparks flew from one of the seals he was working on, and he retracted his hand to bring one of the fingers it seemed he had just burnt to his mouth to suck on it like a child.

My grip on my pencil tightened. I was beginning to wonder if he was doing this on purpose, or if he truly was this foul-mouthed. He was acting as if he had been brought up by wolves. Although, considering which clan he had been born and raised with, my theory wasn't far from fact. From how he talked about his life at the Inuzuka compound, it was a wild territory, where only the strong survived.

Another nudge from Aki reminded me to re-focus on my worksheets.

I took a deep breath, relaxed my grip, repositioned my legs underneath the chabudai table, and continued.

The peace didn't last very long at all, and somehow, I was not surprised.

"Fuck!"

"Language, Kyohei!" I hissed, finally setting my pencil down with my reprimand and giving him my best glare. The dog next to me barked, which sounded suspiciously like laughter.

"I'm _trying_." He grumbled back at me as he returned to his seals in frustration, his canine companion continuing to bark loudly. "And shut up, Aki! I'd like to see you try!"

"Well try harder." I mumbled, watching in satisfaction as his ears perked when he no doubt caught my lowered voice with his enhanced, Inuzuka hearing.

"So bossy." He replied, not looking up from his work and cursing again when more sparks flew from his seal.

"Foul-mouthed boar." I shot back, returning to my own work as he continued his.

"Stuck-up civilian."

"Egotistical shinobi."

"Pipsqueak."

"I'm not that short, you flea-ridden mutt."

"Ha! I like that one!" He laughed from across the room before more sparks exploded from his paper. "And yeah, you are short."

I fell silent at his most recent challenge. Over the course of the last few weeks, Kyohei and I had become better acquainted with each other. And over that time frame it had also become obvious to me that we had very different personalities. We argued quite a bit as a result, but the majority of it was playful.

A thought occurred to me then when I heard his stomach grumble. As much as I actually enjoyed slinging insults back and forth with the Inuzuka Jonin, I was also getting hungry, and It would probably do us both some good to take some respite.

"How about a break? I could make lunch?" I offered mildly, but I knew that my suspicions had been correct when his ears perked again and Aki cocked his large head to the side at the mention of food.

"Yeah, I guess that wouldn't be so bad. I could eat a little something." He returned breezily, even though his stomach grumbled as he spoke, betraying just how hungry he truly was. "Aki likes fish."

A bark of confirmation from the beast of a dog next to me.

I gave a light bob of my head, thankful for the distraction from the large pile of kanji worksheets I'd been working on for the last few hours, and rose to turn towards the kitchen. Kanji was something that would take some time before I got any good at it. But cooking? Cooking was definitely right up my alley.

Lamees had been the daughter of bakers. Her mother, Zainab, could have opened a five-star restaurant with her cooking skills. Lamees had loved to spend time in the kitchen with her mother, and before the cancer had left her weak and immobile, she had helped her mother prepare most meals.

Learning the new, Japanese-styled recipes in this new world had been something of a small comfort to me. I'd always loved cooking, and the new recipes had provided me both a challenge and an outlet for stress relief. I had turned to the kitchen, a comforting environment I was well acquainted with, as a way to cope on many occasions.

Missing my family and the bakery? Prepare mochi.

Craving lamb kebabs? Cook up some yakitori, the Japanese version.

Had a night full of horrible dreams and memories? Brew a cup of Sencha tea in place of the black tea with mint I had always preferred.

Wishing I had been granted the chance to pack my siblings their lunches one last time? Make an elaborate bento for my grandfather and I.

Whatever malady I was feeling, whatever grief that had come over me, I had found my refuge in the kitchen.

Lunches in Konoha were a simple affair. Usually they consisted of a small bowl of rice, pickled vegetables, miso soup, and some sort of meat or fish from the river, which was usually trout. I allowed myself respite in following the steps I knew by heart, bustling about in the kitchen while tuning out more of Kyohei's foul mouth as I worked to prepare the meal.

Soon enough, I had lost myself in the culinary arts, allowing my mind to wander far from where we were as I absentmindedly prepared the lunch.

I was so absorbed in what I was doing that I nearly jumped through the roof when I felt a paw lightly brush up against my thigh, turning quickly with a small gasp to stare down at the ninken I had not heard approaching. A low whine and another paw on my leg made me stop what I was doing and look at the big, brown eyes gazing back at me in curiosity.

"He wants the scraps." Kyohei translated from the living room, offering a brief explanation to his dog's behavior. "But don't give him any, he's on a diet. Hear that, fatty? Stop being a mooch."

The dog only whined once more, turning its eyes back to mine. I glanced briefly towards the shinobi in my living room as I debated my options. His back was turned to me as he worked with his seals.

 _What Kyohei doesn't know won't hurt him…_

Slowly, I reached for my chopsticks, grabbing the tail end of the fish I had just broiled to lower it down to the ninken as quietly as I could, ignoring Kyohei's instructions. Aki, seeming to sense the need for stealth, opened his mouth silently, allowing me to drop the chunk of steaming fish into his palate.

I brought my finger to my lips and gave a pointed look towards Kyohei, as if to say 'our little secret'. The massive dog only gave a quick lick to my hand at my side, a confirmation of secrecy.

It wasn't much longer until the three of us were seated around the lowered table, me picking delicately at my food while Kyohei used his hands to grab at things and shove them in his mouth. Aki had his own plate of fish and rice, though he was not eating at the table upon my insistence.

After gulping at some tea and all but smashing the cup back down to the wooden surface of the table with a content sigh that conveyed just how hungry he had been, he finally voiced his thoughts aloud.

"So, what kind of stuff did you eat where you were from?"

I coughed, nearly choking on the rice in my mouth, not having expected the sudden question. Even after many weeks of getting to know each other and speaking openly while we were in private about our past lives, it still felt strange. After sipping on some of my tea to help the food pass down my throat, I answered.

"Are the seals working again?" I glanced towards the areas around the walls where the paper tags had disappeared into. Seeing the tags seem to melt into the walls of my apartment had been disorientating, like watching magic in front of my eyes. I wasn't sure if the work he had done was finished yet.

"Yeah, they're up and running now. And I didn't blow anything up, so that's a plus. We'll be able to know if anyone besides you or your friends enter this apartment too, think of it like an alarm system against intruders. But that's beside the point." He looked back to me, eyes prompting an answer and gleaming for the information he wanted.

"My family owned a bakery, so we always had breads and sweets available. My mom and I would make traditional foods to go with the breads." I began, reminiscing on the bakery and all the memories it held for me.

"What kind of sweets? I've got a bit of a sweet tooth myself." He admitted, before throwing back the last of his tea. I moved to re-fill his cup as I answered, my eyes honing in on the amber liquid that poured from the spout of the earthen kettle as if transfixed.

"Date fruit pastries, baklava, cheese sweets, and little cakes. The baklava was our specialty." I answered absentmindedly.

I could almost taste them as I listed the sweets to him: the date filled cookies called ma'amoul, the flaky and nutty pastry of baklava, the melted cheese of kanafe, and the sweet cake soaked in rose syrup and sprinkled with almonds known as basbousa.

Each recipe I knew by heart, each one I could taste on my tongue, the memories almost as fresh as yesterday.

"Baklava! Now that's what I'm talking about. There was a Greek bakery my mom took me to when I was growing up in St. Petersburg that sold it. That shit is so good-"

" _Language_." I hissed at him when yet another curse word slipped casually from his mouth.

"This again? Cut me some slack!" He groaned dramatically at the reprimand with an equally as dramatic rolling of his eyes, continuing his complaining. "I deal with all your polite little rules, can't you just let me have this one thing?"

"You don't have to be so foul. There are plenty of other words to articulate how you feel." I mumbled, lifting the cup again to sip at the tea with my gaze narrowed in disapproval.

"Being such a prude is probably what killed you in your last life." He mumbled under his breath.

My mind felt dark all of a sudden, and I was brought back to the agony of my last few months before I was forced into this strange world, my body slowly dying, getting weaker and weaker each day until the day I fell asleep and did not wake back up.

Kyohei froze, looking at me with a vague sense of remorse as he lifted a hand to scratch awkwardly at the back of his head.

"I – uh, I didn't mean it like that. Sorry, that was a bit overboard." He muttered with a forced laugh, meeting my gaze to express his regret.

"It's fine. I guess we haven't talked about that yet, have we?" I questioned quietly, my voice carrying a certain strain to it as I answered him.

I suppose it's a weird question to have to ask somebody - 'oh, by the way, how did you die?'.

"We don't have to, it's fine. If it's too personal..." He offered sheepishly, trailing off as he cast his head to the side.

"It was cancer." I replied quickly, meeting his gaze when he looked back to me, the mood now much more somber than it previously had been. "What about you? You don't have to answer either if it's too much."

I held his gaze, watching as an ocean of untold emotion swam behind his eyes, even if his face was carefully steeled and he answered in a tone of feigned nonchalance. I knew better. I could sense the pain he was hiding, even if it didn't show on the exterior. He hid his grief the same way I hid mine – deep down and out of sight to the unsuspecting eye.

"It was my own fault." He started, mood darkening as he began his recount of the events that had led him here. "It happened during a period of insurgency in the Northern Caucuses, the troops were deployed to counter the hold that some rebel groups had there. I led my entire squad right into a trap. By the time I saw the IED it was too late."

An explosion, then.

I didn't miss the haunted look that crossed over his face at the recollection of not just his own violent end, but his comrades from a previous life as well. It seemed I was not the only one plagued by horrific memories from my past life, nor was I the only one suffering in silence. Kyohei was shouldering more than his light-hearted personality let show.

I found myself at a loss for what to say next.

"I'm sorry." Was what I settled for in the end, an awkward offering of sympathetic condolences.

"Don't be." The gruff reply grated on my ears, and I found myself fiddling with my chopsticks and once again not knowing how to proceed. "It seems like this entire world is full of people with some sort of sob story, we aren't any different. Hell, you're even living next to the biggest sob story of them all."

And wasn't that the truth. It was almost as if every single person in this universe had some sort of tragic back story, but, in retrospect, it made sense.

This was a world that was violent and terrifying, one filled with chakra and wars that never seemed to end, foes who took pleasure in the suffering of innocents. In such a world, where death ran rampant, it left many victims in its wake. This was a world where children fought on battle fields and politics were influenced by clans, jutsus, and jinchuuriki.

And both Kyohei and I were just another link in the chain, just another sad story to tell. Even if our origins were unique, we were, in essence, no more special or elevated than anyone else here. Every person in this world had their burdens to bear - it just so happened that Kyohei and I had two lifetimes worth to shoulder.

A beat of silence passed between us, and the only sound heard was Aki licking his plate.

Finally, I broke the uneasy air with another serious question.

"You mentioned Naruto…I've been meaning to ask you something." He looked back up and caught my eye, gaze prompting me forward. "My kindness with him is too much, right? I know I shouldn't have, it was a stupid mistake."

He sat up straighter in an instant, an appalled look upon his features.

"You're shitting me, right?"

I frowned at his language, but this time chose to say nothing in retort, waiting on him to continue the train of thought that obviously disagreed with my own.

"Think about it, Kimari, think long and hard. You befriending him couldn't have happened at a better moment, this is around the time where the public's opinion of him is slowly going to shift, assuming everything goes according to the plot we remember."

"In my defense, _he_ befriended _me."_ I brought up mildly, which he smiled at before continuing. If he had truly been watching me for that time period then he would know that Naruto had practically glued himself to my hip.

But we couldn't blame him. Any child that had gone through the abuse that he had suffered through would cling to any kindness shown to him, which made me want to love him all the more. The kid needed some tender care and kindness.

"I know. But what really matters is that you've just made your first powerful ally, and that's important. You know how far that kid will go for the people he loves. If anything were to happen to you in the future, it would pay to have somebody like him on your side. If anything, you need to milk this relationship with him for all its worth." He was grinning now, folding his arms across his chest and smiling to himself as if he had just revealed some sort of grand master plan.

I was not amused.

"I get the part about having allies, but no matter how much he cares for people, he's still the host of the Kyuubi. Trouble is going to follow him for the rest of his life. Wouldn't it be best to try and lay low?" I returned in confusion.

Kyohei only shook his head, which added to my mounting confusion.

"Lay low until what? We die or are discovered? Live a life of fear, like a bug waiting to be squashed? That's really what you want?"

"Of course not! I just want to live in peace."

"Peace?" He blinked at me in surprise, frowning unhappily as he replied. "If there's one thing I've seen from my line of work in this world, is that peace doesn't exist unless you build it on top of the bones of your enemies. I think you should keep Naruto close to you because of that same reason."

"I don't understand where you're going with this, have you forgotten he's a Jinchuuriki? I made a mistake, I should have kept him away, but it's still not too late to undo the damage-"

He cut me off then, interrupting my words to deliver one stark idea that brought my mind to a screeching halt.

"That's my point exactly. He's a Jinchuuriki, yes, but you and I are both aware that he's on the path to becoming one of the strongest shinobi in the world one day. He's going to remember that you were the first person to ever show him kindness, and that's something worth holding on to. You want peace? He's the one that brings it, eventually."

That thought hit me hard.

"I'm not saying you should try to make him your slave or mess with his emotions, I've seen clearly that you two already have a good bond going. All I'm saying is that you should hold on to that, it will help you one day."

I hadn't thought about it that way. Of course, I had known who he was and what he would do one day, I was aware of it, but in the moment, when he wasn't a shinobi or a killer or even a war hero, he had reminded me so much of my younger siblings that I had faltered.

To me, he had just seemed like a beaten down child who I had allowed close to me in a brief lapse of judgement that had brought with it severe consequences. However, I could not deny that Kyohei's logic made sense.

Naruto was going to become a sage one day, and then Hokage, eventually – even if he was still a kid now. And to be a life-long friend of the Hokage, one of the most powerful ninja in the world, to hold that type of influence…

I had inadvertently become the first person that he had ever formed a bond with, and that fact, if I played my cards right, could be extremely beneficial.

"So, you're saying I should manipulate his feelings to my favor?" I voiced the question slowly, the thought not sitting well with me. It sounded bad, no matter how justified it was, no matter how much I wanted to survive.

Kyohei sighed dramatically, turning his eyes towards the heavens.

"No, I'm not. You like the kid, right?"

I let myself reflect. Yes, I did have a soft spot for Naruto, even if I never wanted to. He reminded me quite a bit of one of my brothers from before, and the more time I spent around Naruto, the more content I was to let him fill that roll in my life.

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then just be his friend like you're already doing, I'm not telling you to manipulate anyone. But you might have to manipulate or influence others later on down the road, that's just how this world works. Get used to getting your hands dirty like a ninja does – the price of peace and freedom here isn't so easily won." He stated seriously.

"I know…" I returned sullenly.

I was aware how hard our shinobi and kunoichi worked to be able to provide this village the safety and peace we lived in, but I had never tasted the horrors of the battlefield. I had not killed so that others could live. But Kyohei had, in both this life and the last.

"I'm assuming you want to live, right? We both know there's trouble coming, it won't be long before this village is attacked by Orochimaru. But that's just the first." He spoke softly now, his gaze reassuring as I looked back and caught his eye, despite the morbid promise of destruction his words held.

"I do." I nodded fiercely to his question. "I want to live, and I want this village to know peace, real peace, not just the downtime between different wars and attacks."

His grin was back now, stretching over his cheeks and warping his facial tattoos.

"Then we'll have to work hard together, huh? This village just can't catch a break." He chuckled to himself, but I couldn't help and agree with him. But even with all the wars, it was still home, one that I had grown to love.

"So what do we do?" I voiced the question as I brought my cup to my lips again, though the tea was no longer hot.

"We're both going to keep on living and surviving here, we'll build a life where we won't have to live in fear. But in order to survive in this world we need _power_."

"Power?" I parroted dumbly, slinging that heavily laden word right back at him with a voice void of emotion.

"Yes, power. Only the powerful survive in this world. I may not always be here for you. I can still teach you how to mold chakra and some basic techniques, but we don't have enough time to turn you into a kunoichi, that takes years of training. So, where do you think your power and standing is going to come from?" He questioned fiercely, and I found that I did not have the strength to look away from those brown eyes that were blazing in a fierce sense of determination to survive.

The question was rhetorical in nature, but the answer was brought about in my mind in an instant.

"Society." I breathed, the answer he was seeking now spoken aloud.

"Exactly." He confirmed my guess with a nod and a devilish grin. "You're going to accumulate power from a societal standpoint while I do it on the battlefront. It would be better if you had chosen to become a kunoichi from the get-go, but it's too late for that. We'll work with what we've got, and your friendship with Naruto is a good start."

"But how?" I demanded, brows furrowing in concentration as I thought through the large road block that this society brought with it. "I'm not some daughter of a daimyo, or even a recognized clan. The Sasaki family have been farmers and merchants for generations, definitely not influential."

That was just how things worked here. Your merit was not judged off of your works, for the most part, it was judged by who you were related to. Your last name told your entire story and worth when you introduced yourself, and many assumptions and favoritisms were attributed to certain names.

Senju, Uchiha, Hyuuga, Aburame, and so on and so forth.

It was all about names, that was all that mattered in this society. Even the civilians from smaller clans still enjoyed more rights and privileges than civilians who had migrated to Konoha and came from lesser known families.

"Don't worry about that. It just so happens that I've thought of a way to get you sponsorship from a clan. But I'll tell you about that another time, it's all part of my plan. Just trust me for now and keep on encouraging Naruto."

I eyed him warily, unsure of what this 'plan' of his was. It was the second time he had referenced it today without clueing me in to any knowledge of what it might entail. And Kyohei seemed like a bit of a wild card, hard to read with a poker face that could fool just about anyone. I felt as if the only times I truly got a good read on him was when we spoke of our past lives.

Then, and only then, could I sense the raw emotion from him that lay swirling just beneath his skin. It was only when he allowed it to show to me, only when he allowed himself to be vulnerable, that I felt like I was truly closer to understanding him.

But, even so, I would trust him. He had trusted me, after all.

I let out a light huff with a nod accompanying it, allowing my shoulders to sag from the heavy topics we were discussing and the idea of following along with some plan I had no part in making and no real knowledge of.

"Don't look so put out, I know you like the brat, it shouldn't be too hard." He admonished playfully, and I couldn't help but smile a bit as well. "He gets back today and I'll be leaving in a few days, so consider bonding with him your homework to do alongside kanji practice."

 _Kanji worksheets and manipulating a child, just your everyday homework assignments._

One part of his sentence stood out from the rest, however.

"You're leaving?" I questioned, looking to him curiously as I once again moved to re-fill my own teacup.

"The day after tomorrow." He nodded, glancing quickly to the area where the unseen privacy seals on my wall were hidden, as if fearful of being overheard. "ANBU work. A covert mission in the land of rice to scope out a few disappearances from local villages and an underground bunker."

I froze, glancing to him sharply.

The gears in my mind were turning, thinking of a possibility that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I had hoped we might have more time before we had to face it.

 _Could it be? Is it him? The Chuunin Exams will be starting fairly soon, it must be._

"Do you think…?" I trailed off, hoping that he might prove me wrong.

His eyes betrayed him in that moment, flashing in a grave and brief sentiment that confirmed my fears.

"I do. It looks like he's beginning to make his move, I'm sure the underground bunker will turn out to be one of his research centers or hideouts." He leaned back onto his elbows in a motion that looked casual but was anything but. He continued to speak as he reached for Aki and began to rub under his chin. "But I guess I won't know for sure until we've infiltrated the bunker."

My mouth felt dry as I thought about the danger that this presented. I had grown used to the peace that had come after the war with Suna. But peace was something of a mirage in this world, something that shimmered in the distance and left you feeling uncertain if you could reach out and grasp it for yourself. It was something that was hardly substantial enough to put your faith in.

 _Orochimaru_.

I had been foolish to think that he was just wandering around and biding his time. I had placed so much importance on what I remembered of the plot as my current reality that it had somehow failed to occur to me that just because we had not seen or heard from him yet did not mean that he was not lurking in the dark somewhere, experimenting and plotting.

I had not forgotten about him, that much was true, but I had made the mistake of thinking his involvement with the Chuunin Exams would be the beginning of his influence. Just because that was the first time we heard from him in the original series didn't mean that he had not been active behind the scenes for decades.

It was an unsettling thought, to think that he was somewhere out there, killing innocents and recruiting misguided and rogue nin to his cause. To think that he was somewhere underground as we sat here sipping at tea, experimenting on human beings and plotting the death of our current Hokage.

 _Idiot._ I berated myself harshly.

A shiver ran down my spine, and the fear must have shown on my features, because when Kyohei saw how my face had paled in response to his news, he reacted immediately, putting on a show to distract from our current reality.

He sat back up quickly, heaving a loud sigh and throwing back the rest of his tea in one gulp before swallowing loudly before allowing that smirk of his to weave its way over his lips.

"Don't worry about me! I'll be back to annoy you before you know it!"

I couldn't find the will to laugh.

"It sounds dangerous." I voiced the obvious in an air of uncertainty, fiddling nervously with my fingers in my lap and ignoring his attempt at lightening the mood.

He deflated a little, his forced smirk melting into a more neutral look that seemed somewhat more genuine.

"The mission should only be a few days at most, it won't be long. I'll come find you as soon as I'm able afterwards, so just hang tight and don't worry your pretty little head about it. You've got your own work while I'm gone."

"Right. Kanji, my favorite." He snorted at the sarcasm as he stood.

"Alright, I'm going to get going. Aki and I need to do some training before we leave tomorrow. Thanks for the food, I'll pop in sometime tonight."

Before I could stop him with even more questions, he turned abruptly, heading towards my window.

I stood as well, beginning to pick up the dishes and let Aki lick the remaining morsels of rice and fish that were left before he went to go follow Kyohei. I paused when he addressed me one last time, crouching on my window sill after Aki had already jumped through instead of exiting through the door like a normal person.

"Oh, and Kimari?" I looked up, meeting a crooked grin and eyes that were sparkling with laughter that was hardly contained. "Don't kill me later, just remember it's part of the plan."

"Kyohei, wait! What does that mean-" I called after him to no avail, he had already disappeared and could be seen flashing over the rooftops, he and Aki reduced to a black and brown blur.

I groaned, letting out a long exhale as I shut and latched the window behind them, more for the sake of appeasing myself than anything else. The lock wouldn't keep them out, I had already learned from experience.

As I swept up fur and scrubbed at dishes, I contemplated over the conversation that had just taken place.

Everything that Kyohei had said was true.

Assuming our presence here didn't cause any major deviations from the timeline we were familiar with, Naruto was on the track to becoming one of the most powerful ninja of his time. But, if that was true it also meant there were many obstacles that would soon be coming our way, things that struck fear down to the center of my being. My knuckles tightened on the sponge and dish I was holding as I slowed my scrubbing motions to stare blankly at the water that trickled from the faucet.

Orochimaru.

Akatsuki.

Pein.

Obito and Madara Uchiha.

A world-wide war that would shake the earth itself.

All of it was brimming on the horizon, like ominous storm clouds in the distance that darkened the rays of the warm Konoha sun.

Perhaps some of it could have been escaped by simply choosing to migrate to another village, but I had no means to do so financially, and many of the threats had an influence that transcended any known borders.

Orochimaru had bases and hideouts in nearly every nation. The Akatsuki would be sent on missions to each hidden village to accumulate their Jinchuuriki. Obito and Madara Uchiha wanted to consume not just the Land of Fire in their terrifying plan, but the entire world in an attempt to bring peace to the elemental nations.

There was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide where we could be truly safe or out of the reach and influence of those who would seek to change the world.

' _Live a life of fear? Is that what you want?'_

I thought back to Kyohei's question, debating within myself as the water poured over my hands, which had become numb to the feeling as I processed my thoughts and slipped away from reality.

No. It wasn't what I wanted.

Lamees had lived under a constant fear, the product of being brought up in a war zone. I remembered living that way, and I reflected on the thought that, even though I no longer lived under the threat of airstrikes and missiles and war, I lived under a new type of fear that had dominated my life from the moment I had been born here.

The fear of being discovered, the fear of being killed, the fear of chakra, the fear of wondering if I would ever truly learn to live again in this second life. There were many fears I carried with me, and I was tired of it. I hadn't realized just how terrified I had become, how meek and weak I had let myself become until Kyohei had asked the question. I had lived like a cockroach for the last twenty years here, scurrying away like a coward from any sign of danger.

But I just wanted peace, the one thing I had never been able to grasp in this life or the last.

It was all I truly desired. I wanted to live in peace.

' _You should know by now that peace doesn't exist here unless you build it on top of the bones of your enemies. Get used to getting your hands dirty.'_

I was again hearing Kyohei's voice inside my head, his stark words repeating again and again.

My heart felt heavy as I silently reached for the knob on the faucet to cut off the flow of water into the sink basin, my hands dripping as I looked down to them. Was I ready to get my hands dirty? I wasn't sure.

One thing I knew for certain was that I wanted to live, and I wanted to obtain peace and security in this life. I didn't want to have to live in fear any longer.

Power.

Even the word itself sounded mighty. And Kyohei had tasked me with accumulating it on a social standpoint. His suggestion, that had at one point sounded ludicrous, no made complete sense. There was no way I would ever truly have security in this world, no matter how much power I obtained, but Kyohei was right, having Naruto on my side would be a step in the right direction.

Naruto was fiercely loyal to his loved ones, and I had accidentally found myself as one of the first people he had ever grown to care for. Even if it had never been my intention, there were many benefits to be reaped from this relationship, unlike my first impression of danger I had taken away from it.

 _It still sounds bad, no matter how I put it._

I fiddled nervously with my fingers as I thought about it. I did like Naruto, I did want the best for him, and I truly did believe in him.

I shook my head fiercely at the warring sides in my mind, bringing my hands to rub at my temples. This decision was already starting to eat at me. And why? I had already decided to allow myself to care for him, and vice-versa, long before Kyohei had mentioned how I would benefit from that relationship.

That though eased my mind somewhat.

No matter though, based on what Kyohei had said, Naruto would soon be returning to the village, and I had promised to welcome him home. I could debate on morals and ethics with myself at a later time, I had promises to keep for now.

.

* * *

.

I saw him before he saw me, that horrible, orange jumpsuit of his sticking out like a sore thumb amid the varying shades of green nature that spread out beyond the village gates.

I had been waiting for well over an hour by the time I saw him, making light conversation with Izumo and Kotetsu, who stood guard at the village entrance. I was well-acquainted with the two of them after so many trips out to the farmlands just outside the village walls when I left to collect the vegetables I would come back to sell.

I excused myself from their company when I caught that flash of orange from my peripherals, turning and waiting for him to notice me, feeling slightly nervous as I waited. And when he finally saw me, all conflicted emotions I'd had, every doubt about what I was doing, they all melted away at the way his eyes widened when our gazes locked.

He stopped in his tracks, prompting his genin team members and sensei to look back at the young boy who was staring ahead of them with wide eyes and a mouth hanging ajar.

A moment passed, and then another, and I could hear my pulse in my ear as three sets of eyes looked between the two of us.

And then he was running, barreling past a confused team and haggard looking sensei to come to a stop in front of me, just an arm's length from where I stood.

"You came..." He swallowed harshly, bringing his sleeve up to rub at his eyes. "I thought you might not."

I swallowed as well, the lump of emotion rising in my throat that threatened to overflow. This was the first time anyone had welcomed him home, and the pain and joy found in his gaze was overwhelming.

"I promised, didn't I?" I forced a deceptive chuckle, attempting not to let him see that I was also on the brink of tears like him.

His jaw set firmly as he took a large breath.

"I'm home 'ttebayo!" He shouted loudly, grin wide and eyes crinkled.

I took a few small steps, closing the distance between us and taking him into my arms, not bothering to look up to see the astounded faces of his companions.

If I hadn't sealed my fate before, I had definitely done it now. But the debate as to whether or not this was manipulation or not was no longer present in my mind, at least for now. I let my worries go, and just enjoyed the fact that I had been able to bring a genuine smile to his face.

"Welcome home, Naruto-kun. I'm glad you're safe." The words were soft and he stiffened in my grasp, no doubt unused to such affections being bestowed upon him.

When I released him and took a step back, he was blinking rapidly with wet eyes that it seemed he was desperately trying to hide.

It was then that I was made aware that we still had an audience.

"Maa, Naruto-kun, won't you introduce your sensei to your friend?" I looked over spiky blonde hair to note that his silver-haired sensei, as well as a curious looking Uchiha and his pinkette teammate had finally caught up.

"Right!" He spun immediately, pointing towards me with gusto. "This is Kimari-nee-chan!" He announced loudly before looking towards Sasuke with a sly grin. "I told you I wasn't lying, Teme."

The Uchiha in question only gave a small grunt, casting his gaze to me with a frown. I didn't doubt him for disbelieving whatever Naruto had claimed regarding having somebody waiting for him. It was common knowledge he was both hated and an orphan.

"I didn't know my little pupil had a sister, my name is Hatake Kakashi, the Jonin leader of this squad." The man cocked his head to the side with his visible eye closed, a mild tone to his voice and an expression suggesting that he might be smiling underneath that mask.

 _Didn't you though?_

His gaze left me feeling unsettled, antsy as I plastered a smile over my lips as well that I hoped reached my eyes. I felt as if I were being scrutinized under that one, visible eye of his, even if his tone of voice was deceptively light.

I responded with a light tone and a slight bow of introduction, which was not returned to me.

"It's very nice to meet you, thank you for taking care of him." I said when I had straightened. "And we aren't really siblings, just friendly neighbors."

"Oh, I see. My mistake." He responded in that same light-hearted tone that made my stomach coil nervously, before gesturing back to the other two students who had joined us. "This is Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura."

I got a nod of acknowledgement from Sasuke and a polite bow from Sakura.

"Ne, Kimari-nee, I'm hungry, can we get Ichiraku's?" Naruto cut in excitedly, practically bouncing in excitement as he repositioned his pack on his shoulder.

"The Hokage is expecting our mission reports, Dobe, we're still on duty in case you forgot." Sasuke was quick to reprimand in a cool air of superiority, glancing towards Naruto in annoyance, while Sakura nodded in vigorous agreement.

"Shut up, Teme! I didn't forget 'ttebayo!" Naruto blazed back in righteous anger, an angry scowl directed at the young Uchiha replacing the happy-go-lucky expression that had previously been held on his features.

Sasuke opened his mouth, no doubt to sling another retort at his blonde companion, but I beat him to it, putting a stop to the argument before it escalated any further.

Naruto and Sasuke were just as opposite as I remembered from watching them on a screen in my previous life. The two were like oil and water, cats and dogs.

"How about we meet at Ichiraku's after you finish your duties with your team? It will be my treat." I offered, and the effect was immediate. The tension dissipated from the air just as quickly as it had formed as Naruto rounded immediately in excitement.

At least, until the Jonin in our midst spoke suddenly, drawing attention to his casually slouched form with hands shoved leisurely into his pockets.

"What a kind offer, we accept."

A pause.

"Huh?" It was Naruto who voiced my own thoughts aloud, as I turned my curious gaze towards the taller man, who was now looking directly at me, eye open and analytical as he appraised my reaction.

 _Did he just…is he freeloading?_

A snort of laughter came from the direction of Izumo and Kotetsu, but I found myself feeling too uneasy to allow myself amusement. Especially with what came next.

"Well, we wouldn't want to be late, would we?" He voiced, ignoring Naruto's mumblings of how he was always late and continuing. "We'll be seeing you soon, Sasaki-san."

To my credit, I didn't let my shock show on my face, nor did I let allow how flustered I felt to show through, my discomfort hidden beneath a polished mask I had spent twenty years perfecting.

 _Sasaki-san_.

Naruto hadn't introduced me by last name, only by the nickname I was known by. The fact that Naruto had even needed to introduce me in the first place indicated that he had not revealed my name to his team previously.

So, that only begged the question as to how he had come to know of it.

And more importantly, why had he felt the need to dangle that information in front of me? He was probably aware that I knew all of this, but had chosen to address me by a name he shouldn't have known, even after claiming that he 'hadn't known Naruto had a sister'.

I watched mutely as they trekked forward after Naruto had promised to be back as soon as possible, making their way towards the Hokage-tower from the rooftops after jumping to the top of the nearest building.

My I could feel beads of nervous perspiration gathering on my neck, but I kept that fake smile painted on my lips as I bid farewell to Izumo and Kotetsu to make my way towards Ichiraku's as promised, despite the sense of unease that had permeated the air around me and infected my heart.

' _We'll be seeing you soon, Sasaki-san.'_

.

* * *

.

Kyohei whistled the tune of an old Russian folksong from his previous life as he walked leisurely towards the location where he could smell Kimari's scent coming from.

' _Katyusha'_ was the song he whistled inconspicuously as he walked among the crowds of civilians in the fading light of day, the repetitive tune of folk music from another time and place once again stuck in his head.

He stopped at a corner of the street, where to large civilian walkways intersected with one another, stuck his nose in the air to sniff at the scent he was following, and turned left.

She was at Ichiraku's, if he wasn't mistaken. And she wasn't alone. Aki trailed at his side, tail twitching anxiously as he followed next to his human partner.

' _Fast.'_ He heard Aki's words echo in his head. _'Aki and Kyohei go fast to find their lady?'_

"Be patient, Aki." He mumbled quietly to his canine companion, to which he received a low whine in response from.

It seemed like Aki could sense it too, which didn't surprise him. He and Aki had shared so much of their chakra throughout their combat history together that it was often Aki was much more in tune to him than any human was. But such were the ways of the Inuzuka.

What Aki was sensing now were the volatile emotions that Kyohei was getting from Kimari in that moment, and he was able to sense those over the weak bond he had created with her after siphoning some of her spiritual chakra to replace it with his own inside her body. Some of his spiritual chakra now flowed through her, and likewise with him.

He had done it a week ago, the day he had discovered she was also like him, when she had been feverish and lucid and he had taken it upon himself to nurse her back to health while she mumbled like a mad woman in Arabic.

The yin-chakra sharing technique could be slightly uncomfortable, especially for someone with mostly inactive tenketsu, so he had chosen that time to attempt the technique that would allow him to be able to keep better tabs on her when she awoke. A way to provide better protection.

It was a technique that he hadn't been sure would work in the first place, the exchange of chakra was what allowed him to be able to sense and communicate with Aki, but this was the first he had ever attempted it with another human. Within the Inuzuka clan it was only practiced between human mates and a shinobi and ninken duo, and it was a technique that was only shared between their clan members.

Another breach of security and betrayal. He was going to need to start keeping a list.

The bond was weak at best, and only worked within a short range. He most likely wouldn't be able to feel her once he left the village for any missions. However, it was now serving the purpose he had intended it to. She was in distress, and he could feel the emotions as if they were his own through the weak bond that tugged at the epicenter of his _yin_ chakra, the same way he could do so with Aki.

He had also made sure to mark her with his scent, a feat he had accomplished by subtly brushing up against her as much as he had been able to in the past few days – just in case he ever had need to track her down within the village to make sure she was safe, as he was now doing.

He had also licked his hand and brushed it over her forehead when she fell asleep during her kanji lesson two days prior, but she didn't need to know that. He doubted she would appreciate knowing he had used his hand to smear his saliva on her forehead, but it allowed him to find her quickly, a fact he was grateful for.

Another rounded corner and she was finally within his view, sitting at the well-known ramen bar with not just a Jinchuuriki, but his entire team as well. And when he saw how close that bastard Hatake was sitting to her, and how she had not touched the steaming bowl of noodles in front of her, the pieces fell into place.

He paused for one moment, assessing the scene as he watched her twirl the noodles in her bowl with her chopsticks, attempting to keep her poker face as Hatake stared openly at her and Naruto and Sasuke bickered with each other as Sakura attempted to keep the peace.

The scene was almost warm, and he wouldn't have thought a thing might be out of place if he had not been able to feel the distressing emotion from the young woman sitting next to _Sharingan no Kakashi_.

He supposed she was right to feel unsettled, he had felt much the same the first few times he had taken a mission with Hatake in the days when he still served in ANBU. The man was perceptive, unnaturally so, and Kyohei had never cared for his company. He was never able to get a good read on Kakashi, the man who never showed any true emotion and hid it all behind a mild and lazy personality.

He continued to watch with his heightened senses as the silver-haired Jonin reached for the container of soy sauce next to Kimari's hand, brushing his skin up against hers in what he attempted to pass of as an accident. Kimari retracted her hand as if she had been burned, most likely from the tingling sensation she would have felt from the interaction.

He was ballsy, that man was.

The bastard had just probed her chakra system with the tiniest of amounts of his own, not enough to hurt her or cause her any discomfort, it could easily be mistaken for a spark of static electricity or a light tingling feeling, but still enough for her to realize he had attempted something and recoil the way she had.

It was most likely her abnormally high _yin_ chakra levels, much like Kyohei's, that allowed her to feel it in the first place. A normal civilian with average levels of spiritual chakra would not have felt it, which is what it seemed a suspicious Kakashi was testing her for in the first place.

She turned to the man sharply, eyes widening as she held her hand against her chest and the three genin continued to fight amongst themselves, oblivious to what was happening.

' _Kimari feels bad. Aki wants to help. Kyohei and Aki help?'_ Kyohei glanced down towards the large, brown canine at his side that was pawing angrily at the ground.

"Hell yeah we are." He murmured to Aki, starting forward towards where they were sitting.

It was time to intervene and put his master plan into action. He just hoped Kimari didn't throw a fit after what he was getting ready to pull.

"Yo, Hatake, what gives?" He called loudly, loud enough for all five occupants of the ramen stand to turn simultaneously to locate the owner of the voice. He sent a silent apology to the young brunette before continuing. "Get your hands off of my girl."

The look of pure outrage the flashed across her face was one that nearly sent him doubling over in laughter. She looked as if she were contemplating how to orchestrate his death as he casually strolled over to her side and slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her seated form into the side of his chest in a display of affection for their audience.

"EH?" Belted Naruto, food flying from his mouth as he gawked openly between the two of them.

Kakashi betrayed no emotion, nor surprise from the information as he retracted his hand as well, giving Kyohei his full attention.

"Is that so? My apologies, then, _Kyohei-senpai."_

Kyohei felt his brow twitch.

Hatake had a habit for calling him by the title 'senpai', just to annoy him. It was a personal dig between the two men, a subtle way for Kakashi to establish his superiority. The former ANBU member and Kyohei had never really gotten along, and Hatake had begun calling him by the title of senpai years ago, just to push his buttons.

It irked him more than he cared to admit.

Most likely because, even though he was two years older than Kakashi, he still fell behind him. Hatake was superior in almost every area, even tracking, which was an Inuzuka specialty. And no matter how Kyohei trained, and even though he was a very skilled shinobi, one of the best, he still never quite managed to beat Kakashi.

And Kakashi knew it. And he knew exactly what he was implying when he called him by the title of senpai.

It loosely translated into a subtle 'screw you'.

His grin felt tight on his face as he pulled the poor, flustered woman closer to him in an attempt to control his anger.

"No need to apologize, _Kohai."_ He returned, a shit-eating grin spreading on his face as he slung his retort back. "I'm sure you'll get the guts to ask Umino-san out on a date one day."

The pinkette at the table dropped her jaw at that one, while Naruto burst immediately into loud chortles of laughter.

"I like him, Nee-chan!" The boy wheezed his approval between peals of laughter.

The two men shared a look between each other, electricity seeming to crackle between them until it was Kimari who broke the tense silence after having composed herself.

"I think I'll get going if that's quite alright with you four. Kyohei and I have plans together tonight, isn't that right, _dearest_?" He fought the urge to wince as she dug her nails into his side, although her tone displayed none of the rage he could feel between their link.

"How could I forget, _sweetheart_?" He returned, fighting the grimace that threatened to break through his grin when she dug her nails even deeper into his side at the pet name he called her.

She was going to kill him, he just knew it.

"If you'll excuse us. I'll see you tomorrow, Naruto-kun." She gave a soft smile towards the boy, who nodded vigorously in return as he slurped at the fourth bowl of ramen she had bought and paid for.

They rejoined Aki outside the stand, who yipped excitedly and abandoned Kyohei's side to stand at Kimari's instead for the duration of their journey back to her apartment. They walked in a tense silence until they had crossed her threshold and closed the door, leaving Kyohei trapped in an enclosed space with a _very_ angry woman.

She whirled immediately, slipping off one wooden geta shoe to hold it in her hand as she began to bring it down upon his back in angry motions that he had never seen from her in the short two weeks they had been formally acquainted with each other.

He was a hardened shinobi, a killer, a soldier of their village, but he would be damned if she didn't hit hard with that dainty, wooden shoe of hers.

Behind them, Aki barked, and Kyohei was beginning to get the sense he was outnumbered.

"Ouch!" He yelped, bringing his hands up as she continued to beat him with her shoe. "Hey! – Stop it! – Kimari, just listen – Ow! – Shit, Kimari, you're going to kill me with that thing! – Ow! – It's not what you think – Would you quit it already, woman?!" He managed between vicious swats of the shoe against his body. He was acting like a dog with its tail between its legs, but he supposed that about summed up how he felt in that moment.

Her face was red, flushed in embarrassment, anger, and utter mortification.

"How _dare_ you!" She fumed, slowing down in her hits and finally stepping back from him. "Is this your secret plan? The one you asked me to trust? Why didn't you talk to me about this before you just announced it to the entire village?"

"It worked, didn't it? Look at the big picture!"

"The big picture?" She demanded, an unhappy frown pulling at her lips. "Please, go ahead and enlighten me."

He took a breath to make sure his own temper was in check before answering the furious woman in front of him.

"Letting others think we're a couple will allow us to spend as much time together as we need without it looking suspicious. We're safer like this, and we can start searching for answers together while we build a life here."

"Answers?" She questioned sharply, looking to him in demand for an explanation.

Kyohei obliged immediately, both out of a desire to help her see his reasoning, and out of fear from the wooden sandal she was still tightly clutching at her side.

"Don't you want to know why we're here? What brought us here? Don't you want to know if there are others? If there's a way to go back?" He questioned her, and as he spoke he was able to watch the anger dissipate from her face.

Her fists unfurled, the wooden shoe dropping to the ground with a thud. He continued in her silence.

"If the Inuzuka accept you, you'll belong to a clan and receive the respect and station of any clanswoman. My mother was Tsume's sister, and when she died, Tsume raised me like her own. You'll be pack, the woman of a potential heir, and that will give you some real power within this village."

He watched her intently, as her face seemed to slacken, all rage now gone from her features.

"What about the Hokage?" She demanded seriously, no doubt referencing the fact that he had been the one of the ANBU assigned to watch her.

"I told him how highly I thought of you when reporting to him, and I waited a week until after the investigation was terminated before letting anybody see me near your apartment. I'll probably get a slap on the wrist or a pay suspension for it, but it's not technically breaking any protocol since the mission was already over."

"And what about your clan?"

"Tsume's been pressuring me to pick a mate for years now. Two birds and one stone."

"I need to sit down." Was all she said, turning her back to him and moving to that lowered table to fold her legs underneath it and sit, staring blankly at the wall and fiddling with her thumbs as she processed.

It was a lot to take in, he would give her that.

"I won't force you to commit to my plan or anything, and it's not like it would be an actual relationship, but I do think that this is the safest option for us, at least for now. Just lay low until I get back, alright?" He offered, voice softer than before as he watched her close her eyes and take a deep breath.

Her eyes remained closed, and she did not acknowledge what he had said. Kyohei fidgeted uncomfortably.

Somehow, in his mind, he had imagined it all working out a bit more smoothly than how it had unfolded. He also felt assured that this was not the best time to inform her about the link he had created between them using the secret, Inuzuka technique. It would most likely be enough to send her right over the edge, and he had taken enough hits to his body from her shoe this evening.

Women and emotions were something he would never understand. He wished she could see it from his logic, how their odds of survival increased if they stuck together, and how this was obviously the easiest way to go about things. He operated off of Inuzuka 'pack logic'. Protect your pack and find strength in numbers.

She would be safer this way. If he ever died on a mission or was killed by enemy shinobi, she would be set for life – a small fortune, an inheritance, as well as a family of bloodthirsty descendants of wolves who would fight to the death to protect their pack. And she would be pack. It was the best life insurance policy he could give her.

But he had done enough damage for one night, he supposed.

Kyohei sighed.

"I'll get going. I'm leaving early in the morning, so you probably won't see me for a few days or so. I left homework for you to do while I'm gone." He offered, though he still received no reply from her. "Try not to miss me too much." He added with a cocky grin that carried in his tone of voice.

She opened her eyes then, honey-colored orbs snapping to his and making him pause just as he had opened her window and put a sandaled foot on the ledge, ready to spring from the portal with Aki behind him. He stopped when she spoke, looking back to her.

"Be safe, Ivan." She offered quietly, expression unreadable to him.

He paused at the sound of his old name leaving her lips.

He couldn't quite find the words to say in response, so he settled only for a firm nod of his head before leaping out the window to disappear into the night.


	6. Chapter 6

**.**

* * *

.

The door seemed to mock me as I stood behind it, hand hovering just over the knob as I debated within myself.

Naruto was back, which meant he was most likely waiting on the other side of the door on this fine Monday morning to escort me to my vegetable stand, as per his self-decided tradition – a tradition I had slowly grown to look forward to. I had missed his company while he was away, I couldn't deny it. My fingers brushed lightly against the brass knob, but I did not grasp it.

 _He's part of your life now, for better or worse_.

For the better, according to Kyohei. I ground my teeth together in frustration at the very thought of the rambunctious Inuzuka.

I was still upset with Kyohei and his ridiculous plans, and though he was gone on his mission, his influence lingered in my mind, especially his ideas for how I was to go about my relationship with Naruto so that we might benefit from it.

Although I had not agreed completely with this _grand plan_ that Kyohei had schemed, I could not deny that he was completely correct about one fact: having a solid friendship with a powerful character might help me, as I still had little to no power on my own.

I set my lips in a tight line, once again reaching for the doorknob.

The rest of Kyohei's plan? I definitely had some mixed feelings on.

We were going to have words when he got back, Kyohei and I. We would either work together, with mutual respect and as equals, or there would be no 'we' or 'us'. It wasn't even the fact that he had roped me into this plan of his that was upsetting me, it was the fact that he hadn't bothered to tell me a thing about it before enacting it, just assuming I would have no problems with it. It didn't necessarily spell 'teamwork'.

Kyohei had another thing coming when he got back.

I opened the door.

And when I saw how his face lit up with an infectious smile that was so contagious that I couldn't resist the urge my lips were giving to quirk upwards as well, I knew I wouldn't ever be able to push him away, despite my suggestion to Kyohei the day prior.

 _Who am I kidding, this kid has me wrapped around his pinky_.

"Hey, Nee-chan!" He called brightly, pushing himself off the side of the ledge of our apartment walkway he had been leaning against to peer behind me and into my apartment. "Hehe – where's your _boyfriend?"_ He sniggered to himself, eyes narrowing playfully as he searched for any signs of the Inuzuka Jonin in my apartment this early in the morning.

And just like that, the smile fell from my face, morphing into a very unladylike scowl as my cheeks heated at what he was insinuating.

"Don't be crass, Naruto-kun." I scolded with a furious blush, which only prompted more childlike snickering from the boy in front of me.

His little smirk only widened further as he crossed his arms.

"And here you were lecturin' me on manners when you've had a secret boyfriend all along!" He laughed again.

My cheeks reddened even more than I thought possible.

But his implication was most likely what I would soon be facing from civilian society today forward, which was a sobering thought indeed. There was a reason that not many ninjas and civilians got romantically involved, or even kept up friendships; it ultimately boiled down to the societal differences, as well as predetermined roles of young civilian men and women, especially for people like me.

Civilian society operated much differently than that of the shinobi and kunoichi circles.

In civilian society, a young woman was expected to be well-mannered, domestic, and subservient of the old traditions. Don't talk out of turn, follow the traditions, obey your elders, obey your husband, speak softly, don't stay out after dark, dress yourself properly so as not to draw attention to your figure, tie your hair back like a proper young woman ought to, and forget about an education. Very few women graduated from the civilian academy.

Our role and cycle of life was always the same – obedient daughter, to obedient wife, and then to motherhood. There were very few avenues a traditionally raised civilian woman could take that would free her from that repetitive circle.

There was definitely a clash between the old ways and the modern ways here, and that wasn't even including the ninja in our society. But even though there were pockets of young men and women who were beginning to break from the old ways and become more modernized as society continued to evolve, the majority of society here was still clinging to their traditions.

By traditional civilian expectations, I should have already been married with a baby or two by now, at the age of twenty. There was no such thing as 'dating' in the stricter circles of civilian society that I had been born and raised in. And the fact that I would now be seen as a woman who had been secretly sneaking around with a young man, and a shinobi at that, would most likely be the talk of the town for some time.

I would lose face for this, which was what had prompted my angry and emotional response from Kyohei revealing what he had in public. I had been angrier than I had been in years last night.

Two decades to build the image of the polite and reserved young woman I was today had all been shattered with one sentence from Kyohei last night. And with the way the people in this village gossiped, I was already assured that the news had spread.

But things for our shinobi and kunoichi were much different. Sure, the concept of arranged marriages still existed, for the sake of keeping the blood in the stronger and more influential clans pure, but for the most part, ninja were free to do as they pleased.

They existed in a realm that was far outside the reproach of the old civilian ladies who sat and wagged their sharp and vicious tongues at our youth. It was almost as if the price of freedom was one paid in blood on the battlefield – you fight for the village and you are free from its societal expectations.

If my grandfather had lived just a few months longer, I most likely would have seen my own marriage arranged for me despite my protests. He had loved me dearly, yes, but in his mind the best thing he could do for me was to arrange my marriage before he died. He had made a promise to Keiji's father, the two old men making the arrangement between themselves that by Summer we would be wed.

He had always had a soft spot for Keiji the butcher a few stalls down from ours, and he had decided to solidify that match for me, despite my claims of not wanting to get married and a desire to go back to school one day, claims he had laughed off and told me were irrelevant to marriage.

Because who cared if a woman could read or not, as long as she could pop out a few kids and manage a household, that was what mattered. And it was definitely not what I wanted for myself, even if Keiji the butcher didn't seem to mind that I'd dropped out of school. He had too, and those things didn't really matter when you sold meats or vegetables in a market, or so I'd been told.

I wanted to learn, to study, to have family and friends of my own choosing that I could love. I wanted to find meaning to my existence here. I had lost both my family and my dreams of a good education after I died the first time, but I still had a chance here to have both if fate was kind to me this time around.

And even though Kyohei had shattered my façade of a polite and proper young woman to the civilian circles, he had brought me closer than I had ever been towards actually living a life that I wanted to live.

Despite my anger with Kyohei for taking such drastic measures without involving me, I could see how this would work in my favor.

I supposed I would now also be free from that same oppressive cycle of traditional housewifery by being brought into a clan that was so wild that many claimed they were descended from wolves. And to be honest, it didn't sound like an idea so horrible. I would have more freedom than I had now, that was certain. Perhaps I would enjoy the more relaxed society of the shinobi clan civilians, as well as all the freedoms it would give me.

But until that happened, until I was actually formally accepted within the Inuzuka clan and protected by that name, gossip and slander would be the biggest hurdles I would be facing. Until I truly left my traditional civilian role, I would have to deal with the gossip. And that was if I actually chose to go along with Kyohei's plans.

I felt my shoulders sag miserably, and the grin vanished from Naruto's face in an instant.

"Sorry, Nee-chan, I didn't mean it like that…" He said remorsefully when he saw my reaction.

"No, no, it's not you." I returned immediately. "I think I'm just a little tired today, that's all. Would you like to walk with me to the market? You can tell me more about your travels while we walk." I offered.

He eyed me a moment longer before nodding, tagging along at my side as we descended the staircase and began the trek to the marketplace.

I listened as he spoke with vigor of his adventures, his tale complete with sound effects and dramatic hand motioning as he recounted to me a very over-exaggerated story than what I knew to be true from what I had watched and read in my previous life.

But for the sake of his ego, I only nodded along, dropping an astonished 'oh my goodness!' here, or a shocked 'but how ever did you continue?' there, as he told his tale with gusto.

I was so absorbed in listening to his extremely dramatized version of the mission to Wave that I almost missed the first comments when we neared the market place.

The marketplace felt different, quieter, void of the normal welcoming atmosphere it usually carried. People were whispering amongst themselves, looking and pointing. It took only a few moments until I realized the accusing fingers and whispers were being directed towards me.

" _Look, that's her, Touma's granddaughter. She's the one I was telling you about_." An old woman selling fish murmured to her husband.

" _She's the one that's fraternizing with that Inuzuka boy. I wonder if she's already let him into her bed._ " A bald man with a large gut waggled his brows and snickered with his friends, who laughed in return.

" _She's got some nerve, especially after rejecting my oldest son, did you know my son even overlooked her dowry? It's a good thing her grandfather passed when he did so he didn't have to see her now._ " A mother clicked her tongue in disapproval, shifting her infant on her hip and looking towards me with narrowed eyes. I remembered her son, the self-absorbed man who had thought he was performing some act of charity by offering me marriage after my grandfather died. I rejected him before he even finished his sentence. And I still didn't regret it.

" _Nothing good can come from a girl who's taken a lover from a ninja clan. Her parents were ninja too, she's got bad blood._ " A middle-aged man spat from behind his stall of hand-crafted leather goods. Bold words coming from a man who had received free vegetables from my grandfather for a good few years when he lost his fortune gambling. A pity he couldn't seem to remember our charity to him when it was I who needed his kindness this time.

" _How horrible, with a pretty face like that she could have made a good bride, even with such a small dowry. Now she'll never get a match_." Three elder women shook their heads sadly.

" _It's shameful. And look, she's still tagging around with that little monster, as if he wasn't bad enough luck for us all_."

I stopped in my tracks, feet rooted to the spot as I once again felt my cheeks beginning to heat up. I had never enjoyed being the center of attention, whether it be good or bad.

I had known that I would soon be facing some backlash from Kyohei's little _plan,_ but I hadn't been expecting such horrible words, especially regarding the death of my grandfather or the implication that I had somehow become bad luck or some sort of stigma to our community. My mouth opened somewhat, forming a small 'o' of surprise.

These were the people I had lived near and worked with for years. They knew me, they had known my grandfather, and they had always been nothing but kind and supportive. But it seemed that kindness had melted away to be replaced with ice.

Naruto stopped as well, face falling as he too stared at the groups of gossiping civilians.

"Why are they saying those things, Kimari-nee?" He questioned quietly, tone darkening as he looked to me in demand of an answer.

I let out a shuddering breath, breaking my wide-eyed gaze with the merchants and market-goers alike to meet Naruto's angry blue eyes.

"Civilian society is..." I trailed off in a hoarse voice, looking for the right word. _Hypocritical, prejudiced, ignorant, vicious, entitled, backwards_? "…Traditional." Was the one I settled for out of the many harsher words that swirled in my mind.

"But you didn't do anything wrong!" He argued immediately, voice raising angrily as he gestured towards the market that lay sprawling in front of us. "I'll tell them for you-"

"No!" I cut him off immediately, and he reeled in surprise at the loud outburst. I lowered my voice to a more acceptable level before continuing. The last thing we needed was Naruto making a scene in an already volatile environment. "I'm not sure that would help. They'll come around before you know it, I'm sure of it."

But that was a lie, and I knew it, at least for now.

They wouldn't come around. I had broken the traditions in their eyes, and although they had no facts, and no proof to say the things they were saying, I knew from seeing it happen first-hand that the gossip and slander would continue to spread like wildfire.

It would blow over eventually when the newest scandal caught their attention, but until that happened I would be at their mercy. It would take time.

I wondered if Kyohei knew just exactly what was in store for me when he decided to take matters into his own hands. But then again, he had been raised among dogs in a clan of rowdy ninja, and had not been bound by the same expectations of this society that I had been raised in. Our lives so far must have looked like completely different worlds to each other. I doubted he knew just how rigidly civilian society was structured. In fact, I would be surprised if he had any idea at all.

"I'm staying with you." Naruto stated fiercely as he inched closer to me, letting his eyes rake over the groups of civilians who only continued to stare and whisper.

My heart warmed at the offer, but I only placed my hand on his shoulder and shook my head.

"You have training today, right?" I reminded him softly, and he frowned in response. "I'll be okay, it's just gossip. I won't let it bother me."

"But-"

"Tell you what, I'll make you dinner tonight if you walk me home from the market? Maybe we can eat together from now on, I know you only eat cup ramen. Even a future Hokage still needs to eat his vegetables." I interrupted, using food, the only distraction that might be enough to persuade him to go about his activities, as bait.

"….Really?" He asked, a hopeful and surprised tone, though still sounding somewhat uncomfortable at the idea of leaving me in such a hostile environment.

"Really!" I offered with forced enthusiasm and a fake smile, which seemed to ease him a bit.

"Are you sure you're okay by yourself, Kimari-nee?" He asked, to which I nodded quickly.

"I'm a big girl, I'll be fine." I reiterated, though I knew I hadn't completely fooled him.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, okay? Don't go home without me '-ttebayo." He demanded, still looking unhappy with my current situation.

I supposed his own worries were coming from his personal experiences. He was the most persecuted person in this entire village, and what I was hearing now from my fellow villagers was only the smallest of tastes of what he had been subject to since the day he was born.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun."

I could almost feel his displeasure radiating off of him in waves as he took his leave after having helped me set up my stand and arrange my vegetables, leaving me to face the stares and whispers by myself.

And then, I was alone.

I felt myself shrink under the stares, and the poorly concealed whispers sounded more like self-righteous screams of accusation. There were those who didn't even try to lower their voices, openly speaking about their opinions of me as if I were not present and capable of hearing their every word.

"Kimari-chan." I turned at the sound of Machi's voice, not having heard her approach. "Is it true?" She asked in a hushed tone as she ducked under the small tent of my stall, pushing my kirigami strands to the side and making her way quickly to me while her step-mother was busy with a customer.

I wasn't quite sure what to say. And I hadn't even decided if I was willing to go along with Kyohei's plan or not, so I settled for an evasive statement instead.

"I suppose it depends on what you've heard." I mumbled, busying myself with re-arranging my vegetables, even though they were already perfectly displayed. "I've been hearing a lot of tales this morning."

"I don't care if the rumors are true or not, I just want you to know you're still my friend, no matter what." Machi spoke quickly, glancing back to her step-mother nervously, who looked to be finishing up with the customer she was helping. "Don't listen to these hypocrites, they're no better than vultures. Their lives are probably so boring that this is the most entertaining thing to happen in decades."

My chest tightened at her words, and at the fact that I now knew I still had her friendship to count on. It looked like I was going to need whatever support I could get until the rumors and gossip quieted down, and that most likely wouldn't be happening any time soon.

"Thanks, Machi-chan, you're a true friend." And she was, she always had been. I counted her friendship as a blessing, now more than ever.

"And don't you forget it when you're a rich and fat clan lady one day!" She giggled, and I couldn't help but snort in laughter, earning the both of us even more shaking heads and whispers.

It certainly wasn't the most ladylike of sounds. However, if I was no longer bound by restrictive traditions, I supposed none of that mattered anymore.

I could snort and laugh as loudly as I wanted, and it wouldn't make any difference since my reputation within the traditional civilian circles was already tarnished. Heck, I could do whatever I wanted, the damage was done. But maybe that was a good thing.

That thought seemed to brighten my situation, and I held my shoulders up somewhat higher. These traditions would no longer be a ball and chain that I was bound to. I could do as I pleased.

"UEDA MACHIKO!"

Machi flinched at the sound of her step-mother's nasally scream that pierced the air.

"You get back here, immediately! I forbid you from associating with that wench!" Machi's face twisted in anger, though her chest deflating in defeat. She was still honor-bound by familial ties to observe her step-mother's authority with the same quiet respect and obedience that was expected of every woman.

"It's okay, you should go, it's better for you to stay away until this blows over." I whispered to her, giving her a small nudge in hopes that she would protect her own reputation. "I can meet you at the onsen this Friday, we'll talk then."

"That vicious old hag." She spat under her breath as she referenced her step-mother. "I'll find you there. I'll do what I can to put a stop to the rumors in the meant time."

And then she was gone, turning quickly to dart back to her family's silk stand, standing unhappily next to a woman that looked as if she were taking joy in listening to the rumors that were being spread. I wouldn't have been surprised if that vile women had been spreading some herself.

The minutes passed slowly as I attempted to tune out the condemnation, waiting for shoppers to stop at my stall, as they usually did. To my displeasure, very few civilians actually stopped to purchase anything, the majority of shoppers looking away quickly from me if we accidentally made eye contact, as if ashamed.

I sold nothing that day.

But the next day, my luck turned for the better.

I had been prepared for another day of rumors and whispers and no customers, but what I received instead was the opposite of all my expectations.

I got my first kunoichi customer around eight in the morning. She bought all of my persimmons, her wide grin distorting the purple tattoos on her cheeks. She purchased all fifty-eight of them, even the ones I kept under my stand. At first, I thought she might have just been buying in bulk so she could make preserves or can some fruits for the winter, but after the next few customers, all ninja from a specific clan I recognized well, I realized what was happening.

A flash of blonde hair and whiskers, accompanied by a small brunette boy with an even smaller dog confirmed my suspicions. That was Naruto alright, and it was Inuzuka Kiba who stood next to him, arms folded with an angry frown as he glared at the civilians and eyed me curiously.

It looked as if Naruto had gone straight to the son of the Inuzuka clan's matriarch to inform him of what was happening at my meager little vegetable stall.

I couldn't deny it was a smart move on his part, it would probably have taken little to no effort for Naruto to persuade Kiba to his cause, even if they weren't the best of friends yet. The concept of 'pack' ran very deeply with the Inuzuka apparently, and even though I was not an Inuzuka yet, the idea still ran hot in their blood.

The duo soon disappeared together once Naruto saw that I had spotted him, and it was not long after they left that my vegetable stand was overrun with new customers.

I wasn't sure whether to be angry with Naruto for skipping out on his training and keeping his team waiting, or if I ought to be happy that it looked like he had possibly made a new friend. But, I supposed I ought to feel grateful more than anything. Whatever plan he and Kiba had cooked up together had worked.

I sold very few vegetables to any civilians, but to my surprise, I had a very long line of ninja coming out of my stall. Many of them had dogs and triangular tattoos upon their cheeks, as well as the same feral grin that Kyohei usually sported.

I was the only person in the entire market who actually sold out, and I was out of my produce by noon, packing up my vegetable stand with a large wad of bills tucked inside my yukata. An entire two weeks' worth of produce sold in little more than three hours. I wouldn't need to open my stall until I got my next shipment in from the farms, but that was days from now, and I wouldn't have anything to sell until then.

I watched those who had whispered and pointed the day before, and how they had ogled the line of customers I had trailing out of my vegetable stand today, and I would be lying if it didn't make me feel like I had won some sort of petty fight. I held my head high as I closed down my stand at noon and went home with a smile on my face and my nose in the air as I passed my critics from the day before.

I took Naruto and Kiba out for dinner that night with my newly earned funds as a way to thank them, letting the two pre-teen boys stuff their faces with grilled meat from one of the Akimichi restaurants until their bellies were ready to burst.

And I smiled the entire time.

.

* * *

.

Kyohei crept with the utmost caution he could down the dark system of tunnels, Aki prowling tensely at his side.

The traps had been disabled, and the area thoroughly scouted, but all signs of life from the bunker had been long gone by the time they arrived. No chakra signatures, no life to be found, and no chance of gleaming much information this time around.

But something still felt off – off in the way that his gut would curl when his instincts kicked in and told him that something bad was coming. Ivan had never really trusted his instincts in the past, but Kyohei was different. Kyohei trusted his animal instincts with his life, they had yet to fail him.

And those instincts were blaring a warning in his head, a sign that something was definitely amiss. Even the air itself seemed foul in the underground bunker, and he struggled to keep his heartbeat at a normal tempo as he descended further into darkness.

The orders had been given to split up when their team had deactivated the many traps throughout the bunker, each member of his team tasked with scouting out a specific area of the underground structure. The Hyuuga under his command had sketched a map in the dirt of what she had been able to see of the mess of twisting tunnels, and each person had left for their area, leaving Kyohei and Aki to their own area to scout.

It was like some sort of horror movies he remembered from before, the eerie tunnels and flickering lights, along with the foreboding sense in the air that made all the hair on his body seem to stand. But he kept moving despite his sense of unease, as well as every instinct in his body screaming at him to turn back, following the tunnel and peering into empty rooms as he passed them. Even if he couldn't get a whiff of Orochimaru anywhere, he still wouldn't let that fool him into a sense of false peace. He could smell Kabuto quite strongly in this area especially, and that was enough to make him want to bare his teeth like a wolf.

He had seen Kabuto here and there around the village, and had so far kept himself from throttling the twisted young man. But, one thing he _had_ done was commit his smell to memory, as well as Orochimaru's before he defected from the village years before. With the knowledge of what a menace the two of them would grow to be one day, he had memorized each of their scents in the likely chance he would one day need them.

The bunker was abandoned, but the scents were still fresh. The occupants here had only been gone half a day at most, and from the way they had left the inside of this underground hideout, it looked as if they might have left in a rush.

That thought did not settle well with him.

It meant that they had known that the team from Konoha was already on their way. It meant that Kabuto must have had a way to get to that confidential information. He might have somebody else on the inside, or he might be skilled enough to get to the information himself, but Kyohei had no way to know at that moment. The manga had never mentioned another spy inside Konoha besides Kabuto, but he would be a fool to think that Kabuto might be the only one.

The idea that another threat might be looming in the shadows of his own village was one that left him in a sense of unease. As long as his team was being sent on dangerous covert missions while someone on the inside fed information of their every move to that Snake and his subordinates, it meant that his team was in danger. And he would die before he let his team down.

He had already failed one team that he had been placed in charge of when he had been Ivan, and then again as Kyohei, but he would not fail this team.

The night terrors that plagued him in the evenings always revolved around the mistakes he had made that resulted in the loss of life. His first team in Russia, four of his subordinates in Konoha, both had looked to him for guidance on the battlefield - and he had failed in the worst of ways.

But he had to focus on the here and now. All he could do was move forward and work towards protecting those that he had been placed in charge of in the here and now.

And he had worked himself to the bone to make sure he was capable enough of the trust his subordinates placed in him. He trained relentlessly, almost obsessively, so that he could serve them well. And it had paid off, the years of training and pushing himself to new extremes had reaped the results he had hoped for.

Kyohei was the only ANBU captain since the organization had been founded to have less than five casualties to his team in what was now almost thirteen years of service. But no matter how well he did, no matter how he pushed himself, he knew it would never make up for the mistake that had cost both him and his soldiers their lives during the war in Dagestan.

And then there were the four shinobi who had lost their lives due to his incompetence over the years as well. Four young recruits who he hadn't been able to save in time - those brave ninja now had their names carved on the memorial stone, and no amount of the fresh flowers he brought weekly in their honor would change the fact that he had failed them as well.

There was no atonement to be had for his soul. He was a guilty man, and he saw each of their faces when he closed his eyes at night.

But now he also saw Kimari's face as well.

He couldn't fail her. He wouldn't. And he knew that perhaps he ought to have just let her be, and that involving himself in her life was a choice inherently selfish in nature, but he also knew that if she chose to go along with his plan then it would be the best protection he could possibly give her.

He also knew that he didn't feel quite as alone when she was around.

He was a ninja. Odds were that no matter how much physical power he accumulated, he would still meet a violent end on the battlefield. There were very few ninja that lived to a ripe old age and retired. The vast majority died young, bleeding out on foreign soil, and he was not so arrogant as to believe he could escape that fate.

Kyohei was quite aware of the fact that he was a pretentious and cocky bastard, but even he had no grand illusions of escaping his inevitable death. Fate had already left him shocked and confused after finding himself alive here when he most certainly should have been dead, and he had a sinking suspicion that the next time he died would be a bit more permanent than the last.

He was alright with that. He'd always been a soldier, it was what he did best, and it only felt natural to devote himself to the same profession in this life so that he could find meaning through protecting and fighting for the people he had grown to love in this world.

But Kimari was a civilian, and a broke one at that. Without her grandfather's help she brought in very little money, but somehow managed to scrape by, though she never complained. That woman held her head high under any and every circumstance. She had a gentle disposition and a heart that was too soft for her own good, but she also stood tall. She had to be strong to have adapted and survived here, to forget her past life and choose to meld into the role she had been given here.

And that wasn't to say she couldn't survive on her own, and he was not by any means insinuating that the girl couldn't take care of herself, but he wanted to help. He wanted to give her the best chance at survival that he could.

Her friendship with Naruto was a good start, and she had done that all on her own. But if the Inuzuka accepted her as pack, then that would be the ultimate life insurance policy she could have in the case he was killed on a mission.

A clan name, a title within that clan and society, his small fortune, his inheritance, and a bloodthirsty family of the descendants of the wolf who considered her pack? She would be just fine if he were to die.

The Inuzuka would fight to the death for any member of the pack, and she would be well taken care of with them. Other clans would have to formally recognize her as well, and she would be elevated to the status of 'Lady Inuzuka', just like Hana, since Tsume had also formally adopted Kyohei as a her own pup when his mother was killed in the war with Suna.

Suddenly, a chill ran down is spine.

The Jonin paused, his entire body freezing as his canine companion stopped as well, sniffing at the air. All thoughts of Kimari and Konoha vanished from his mind in an instant.

"You smell it too, huh?" Kyohei's sullen voice echoed down the dark tunnels, reverberating off of stone walls as his tone dropped darkly. The scent was unmistakable.

Aki shifted unhappily, pawing at the ground in front of him in distress with a low whine.

' _Aki also smells'._ He heard the massive brown canine's voice in his head, confirming his suspicions that he wished were not true. _'Aki smells death.'_

As if those words were not foreboding enough, the smell in the air also carried the confirmation of what they both feared.

The rotten stench of decaying flesh assaulted his nostrils, coming from the direction the duo had been walking towards. Kyohei scowled. That sick bastard, Kabuto. It looked as if he had left behind quite a few corpses in his wake.

When he found the room they were held in, some sort of grand atrium of death, he blanched, turning his head to the side and shutting his eyes for a brief moment. The scene was almost too ghastly for him to swallow, and he had seen his fair share of bloodshed and war with his career. But this? This was too much.

Children, dozens of them, each little body long dead.

 _So, these must be all the children that were reported missing from nearby villages, just like the Hokage suspected._

Kyohei steeled himself, took a breath, opened his eyes, and continued forward.

Protocol stated he was to seal away the bodies, and he certainly had his work cut out for him. He made quick work of it, avoiding looking at the faces of each child he sealed away to bring back to Konoha for analysis and autopsy. Only after that would the parents be informed, if they even had parents. He wasn't sure where Orochimaru's little devils had taken them from. Kyohei didn't even want to think about that part.

 _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry we couldn't save you._ He repeated that line to each child he sealed inside the small scrolls that were designated for transporting bodies back to the village.

His heart felt heavy as he went about the work. And when it was finally over, and he had made his last apology and stored away his last scroll, he finally began scouting the rest of the room.

It was a large room with a vaulted ceiling, with many cages he felt sure that the children had been kept in. There were medical instruments strewn about, and multiple tables with straps hanging off the sides. It looked as if the majority of whatever experimentation had taken place here had been performed in this room. Kyohei felt a chill run down his back as he picked up a scalpel splattered in dry blood, tossing it back down to the floor in disgust.

It was sick, vile, inhumane.

But he still had a job to do.

He turned towards the wall, pushing some of his chakra into the stone to see if he could feel for any false passageways or any other traps he might have missed, breathing a sigh of relief when he found none. After a few more moments of careful observation and documentation of the experimentation room, he made his way towards what looked like a medical office of sorts, the last area he had yet to scout out.

When the traps were disabled and he finally stepped inside the office it had taken so long to break into, his heart fell. Only a few papers here and there were left, the majority of any descriptions of what had taken place here gone with the previous occupants. But he read what was left behind anyways, picking up the closest piece of paper to begin his analysis.

'… _earlier trials suggested that Hashirama's cells would be best absorbed into the bloodstream if injected directly into the spinal fluid of the test subject, however, there have been no survivors of these recent experiments…'_

Kyohei scowled as his eyes drifted towards the dates at the top of the paper. Just as he figured, these notes were old. They seemed to be the notes taken during Orochimaru's previous experimentation with sixty children from Konoha, attempting to see if their bodies would be able to absorb Hashirama's cells and empower them with the Wood Release that the snake had wanted to claim for himself.

But this was old news that the Hokage had known about for years, decades even. Yamato, or Tenzo, or Kinoe, whatever the hell that man called himself these days, was already a Jonin of Konoha and had survived these experiments - which meant that these notes were over two decades old, and completely useless. He set the paper down so he could pick up another, skimming through the next leaflet of material.

'… _after attempting to infuse the DNA of the test subjects with that of a variety of different animals, each subject rejected the alterations made to their genetic makeup…'_

That was new, but the numbers at the corner of the page dated these experiments seven years prior. Still, he set it aside as evidence to bring back for documentation. The more information they had the better, even if it still didn't explain how each of these stolen children had met their ends.

The next page of information was where he struck gold.

'… _32 test subjects ultimately survived the initial testings and have been prepped for the soul extraction jutsu… no survivals survived the extraction, each host rejected the foreign soul, unlike similar experiments two to three decades prior…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph." Kyohei hissed angrily as he ran a hand through his shaggy hair. Aki cocked his head at the strange sounding names. "They ripped the souls out of each of these poor kids. I swear I'm going to kill that four-eyed freak myself, Aki."

Aki growled, the low rumbling a reflection of the same disgust Kyohei was currently feeling. But one line in particular caught his attention: 'Similar experiments two to three decades prior'.

He reached slowly for the last paper on the floor, his instincts once again coiling as he brought it closer for inspection.

'… _soul transmigration jutsu successfully completed, though the experiment itself has failed…'_

Kyohei felt his heart leap into his throat as he kept reading, a sickening sense of helplessness falling over him as he continued to skim the rest of the document.

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

'… _experiment failed…'_

Kyohei's breath caught and his eyes widened as he read on. How many lives had been expended in order for Orochimaru to play around with these two forbidden jutsu? He didn't know, nor did he want to. The thought made him sick. He had always wondered if Orochimaru had developed any of his own jutsu besides that strange replacement technique he remembered from the manga, or if he had just stolen them all. He supposed he had his answer now.

Not only had Orochimaru been on the hunt for as many secret jutsu that he could get his hands on, he had also been using children as guinea pigs in his work to develop his own techniques. His stomach turned violently. The idea was enough to make a grown man queasy.

He continued reading, despite the foul words on the documents. He read through the other trials, all failed, that indicated Orochimaru had been attempting to pull souls out of the children he kidnapped and place them into other children, or even animals at times. It was no doubt part of the Snake Sannin's unquenchable thirst for immortality.

The rest of the document was just a list of dates that the Soul Transmigration Jutsu was attempted, all failures. The last line, however, made Kyohei's face lose all color to it.

'… _research trials on Senju Tobirama's Reanimation Jutsu and the Soul Transmigration Jutsu in progress…summoning of souls completed…'_

'… _experiment success.'_

The paper fluttered from his grasp, falling to the floor as he stared after it with bulging eyes. The fact that Orochimaru had tried to combine the Reanimation Jutsu with the Soul Transmigration Jutsu, as this particular document had specified, was the least of his worries.

He squatted down towards the floor, temporarily breaking protocol to remove his mask and rubbing his hands over his face in disbelief as he groaned quietly.

This would certainly complicate things. He almost wished he hadn't found that last piece of paper. The first time he read through the list of failed and successful experiments, he had thought it like the previous listings, at least until he double checked the dates of each experiments.

His breathing stopped when he recognized two of the dates that had been documented next to each attempt at combining two forbidden techniques. Those two dates stood out clear as day upon the old document, confirming exactly what he desperately hoped was not truth. Both dates had a few 'complications' cited next to them, but that wasn't what stood out to him.

The 24th of March, 1061 – the day Ivan became Inuzuka Kyohei _._

The 17th of October, 1069 – the day Lamees became Sasaki Mari _._

' _.._. _experiment success.'_


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N - I'm putting this out a few days early. It also hasn't been carefully spell checked yet, so my apologies in advance. Next update will be late Dec/early Jan. My husband and I got our travel visas and are leaving our country tomorrow for some international traveling, so I'm posting this now because I won't be bringing my laptop with me. Anyways, enjoy! And happy holidays to all who may be celebrating!**

 **A huge thanks to the reviewers, you guys are really encouraging me to do my best. I really appreciate the time you take to leave a little love, it makes my day.**

 **Trigger warning for _attempted_ assault - read at own risk.**

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My feet shuffled in giddy anticipation as I hid in the shadows, waiting like a cat ready to pounce upon its prey. My fingers twitched while my breath caught nervously in my chest.

My prey? Machiko.

I watched anxiously as the civilians passed between the opening of the alley, waiting with a lack of patience for the young woman I was about to ensnare.

I felt like a little girl again, and I recalled fondly the many times we had needed to sneak about and wait for each other in predetermined rendezvous points around the village. Her step-mother had never approved of me, even when we had been younger, so we had gotten crafty over the years about how to meet.

Ueda Satoko had always thought less of my grandfather and I, only due to the fact that my parents had been ninja. ' _Bad blood_ ' she would always mumble under her breath whenever I was near, but I had never been bothered by it. I'd grown used to her nasally insults over the years and had learned to hold my tongue in her presence.

Ueda Satoko was a cruel woman, and why Machi's father had ever deemed fit to marry her was beyond my comprehension. She made their entire household absolutely miserable. Machi's true mother, on the opposite end of the spectrum, had been one of the kindest people I'd ever met.

But Machi's father doted heavily on his daughter, and believed every word that came from her mouth, no matter what Satoko said. So when Machi lied about spending time with me when her step-mother had explicitly forbade it, saying that she had been running errands or with our other friend Suzu instead, she was always believed.

Even easier when her father left the village with the merchant caravans that were destined for foreign lands to trade in silks and other expensive fabrics. Satoko had no control over her when her father left, and the need to sneak around was gone the moment he departed from the village gates.

But we hadn't needed to sneak around through the alleys in ages. The reason I was hiding in the shadows and waiting for her to pass by was more out of a desire to protect her reputation rather than out of fear of being caught by her step-mother. Satoko no longer scared me the same way she had when I was younger.

It had been a few days already, and my situation among the civilians had not improved by much. I had been lounging around my apartment for the last few days, working on some needlework and sewing a new jacket for Naruto now that the weather was getting cooler, just to occupy my time and keep me from going out too much. I had no vegetables to sell after the Inuzuka's show of solidarity, but it also meant that I didn't have much to do until the farmers brought their shipment this weekend, so I made myself busy instead.

I had taken a few strolls around the village, skipped stones by the lake, fished in the river, and shopped at the market to replenish the cooking supplies I was getting low on. Naruto ate like a horse, and now that he ate a few meals a week with me I was running out of ingredients faster. But the trips to the marketplaces were hardly enjoyable. At least in my walks around the village it was easier to stick to routes that had less civilians and were less densely populated, but I had no such luck in the marketplaces.

I was spat upon by a woman in the market just two days prior when I went to buy more rice after I had run out.

But I was not to be bothered by her. In fact, I spat rat back at her, something I would have never done before. The reaction on her face as my glob of saliva landed upon her yukata was one of both shock and horror, and it had been completely worth it.

The support I had been shown by the Inuzuka had given me the confidence I needed to hold my head high in the face of adversity. I was showing more spine than I ever had before, and the foul words that were being slung my way stung, but I didn't let it bring me down.

I felt strangely optimistic about the whole situation, and I supposed it stemmed from within me. This strange, newfound sense of confidence I had felt was only growing stronger and stronger over the last week or so since Kyohei left me to deal with the aftermath that I doubt he had ever even truly thought about.

I was no longer worried about my reputation or how much time I spent with Naruto, and I was happier than I had been in years after having been set free from the expectations of society. I had made the decision to live this life here with pride, no longer hiding away from Naruto out of my own fears and no longer abiding by the oppressive rules that the civilians had laid out for me.

There were other young men and women like me, ones who had broken from the traditions to dictate their own fates. The population of those youths were still relatively small inside the village, but that population would only continue to grow as the village continued to modernize and edge closer to the technological revolution it would see over the next few decades. So, I held out hope, even if the word 'modern' was used as a derogatory word for now.

This village would soon change, and I wouldn't cling to the old ways when that happened. In fact, people like me, as well as forward thinking clans that adapted easily to their surroundings like the Inuzuka, would be the ones better off in the end.

Kiba now tagged along with Naruto around the village, and it delighted me to no end that the two boys had formed some sort of bond with each other. I had always been of the opinion that the two young ninja had similar personalities, and it seemed that they now fit together like two peas in a pod. Naruto looked happier these days too, no doubt from having acquired another friend.

I turned my eyes from the inky black of the alley I was hiding in, where something that sounded like a rat shuffled around and squeaked in the darkness, towards the civilians who were passing back and forth in front of the opening to the alley system I had grown to know like the back of my hand over the years.

When I finally spotted her I moved fast, striking like a viper to grab the back of her yukata and yank her backwards into the alleyway.

Her shriek of surprise morphed quickly into merry peals of excited laughter when she saw who had pulled her into the alley and who had grabbed her by the hand to start running.

I heard her laughter continue behind me as I pulled her forward, both of us bunching up our yukatas up around our knees so that we would be able to run without the tight and restrictive fabric getting in the way. It was an improper sight, the calves of two young women on display and not even covered by stockings, but neither of us cared.

"I haven't run like this in years!" She called as I continued to pull her down the maze of alleyways that led towards the onsen we both liked. "We aren't as fast as we used to be when we were younger!"

I laughed even louder at that one. She was right, both of us were already breathing heavily. It was the product of inactivity I supposed; It was improper for civilian women to run like we were, or even to walk too quickly.

As teenagers and young girls, it had been slightly more lenient. But as grown women who were expected to walk daintily down the street with the utmost poise and grace? Running like bats out of hell was a big time no-no.

But it seemed that I was in the business of breaking traditions these days, so what did it matter?

"Isn't it great?" I laughed over my shoulder, noting how her eyes were also alight with joy. "I feel so alive!"

And I did, I truly did, running down the alleyways like a young girl again with my hair falling out of its carefully combed bun and dragging my childhood friend along with me without a care in the world felt absolutely exhilarating.

And then I tripped, breaking the spell and falling straight into a puddle of dirty water that had been standing there stagnating for longer than I cared to know.

The water smelled foul, and had no doubt stained the fabric of my yukata. I blinked in shock a few times as I lifted myself from the murky pool, turning slowly to meet Machi's own surprised gaze. It was silent for a few beats, until we both burst into more laughter.

I doubled over and clutched at my stomach as I continued to wheeze, tears beginning to escape my eyes. Laughing this much hurt, and I hadn't laughed in such a carefree way in years. Machi slung an arm over my shoulder and I let my taller friend guide me the rest of the way towards our destination as we continued to giggle the entire way there.

When we had finally arrived to the onsen and paid the small entrance fee, we both made quick work of shrugging off the clothing we had soiled from our run through the dirty alleys, stripping down to just our skin so that we could wash our bodies off before entering the thermal baths.

We took turns scrubbing each other's backs and re-braiding our hair so that it wouldn't get wet, as per the weekly tradition we had established years ago and rarely missed. The floral scented soaps and earthy oils washed the dirt and grime from our skin, and we emerged from the washroom feeling cleaner than ever with skin scrubbed raw – ready now to enter the baths.

The hot water felt like bliss as we sunk into the inviting hot spring, the steam rising and coiling around us as we both exhaled simultaneously and made ourselves comfortable. I let my head rest against the wooden paneled wall of the onsen, sighing in contentment as the hot water lapped against my skin.

The peace didn't last long.

"So…what's he like." I peered towards Machi out of the side of my eyes. She was trailing circles over the surface of the water with her fingers, attempting to sound nonchalant as she asked.

"Obnoxious." I stated flatly, and this time she scooted closer to me, her brief game of nonchalance already over.

"Tell me everything!" She demanded, gripping my shoulders tightly as water moved between us. "I can't believe the first time I heard about this man of yours was through rumors and not from you! You owe me big time, didn't we promise to tell each other everything when we were younger?"

 _Well, not everything._ I thought sarcastically to myself. I doubted she would even believe me if I told her _everything_.

But I could see where she was coming from. It probably felt like a betrayal of sorts in her eyes, a secret that had been kept by her closest friend. Though, knowing Machi, she was probably over it already, a desire for more information overtaking any grudges she might have held. And her desire for information was ravenous.

That girl had information on everyone. She knew all of the juiciest gossip from within the village; the latest scandals, who was matched with who, and even a bit of foreign politics from the information her father brought back to her from other villages – this or that daimyo married this or that heiress, the council in Suna introduced new legislation regarding property taxes, the Land of Wind had just imposed new tariffs on goods exported from our country, and so on and so forth.

So, the fact that she didn't know such an important detail regarding her closest friend was something I felt certain she was unsettled by.

"I meant to tell you, it all just happened so fast and-"

"No excuses!" She released my shoulders and tutted at me, moving to take a seat next to me instead as she began her interrogation. "Just start from the beginning, how did you meet?"

 _He broke into my house and told me he was from the same world as me._

Obviously, I couldn't tell her that. I settled instead for a modified version of the truth. Keeping my story as close to the truth as possible would be helpful in the case I was asked the same question by somebody else.

"He saw that I was getting sick and helped me get the medicine I needed. He kept checking in to make sure I was okay." I relented, releasing the information she wanted with reluctance.

"Oh, how romantic!" She gushed immediately, starry-eyed at the thought of it. "He must be so chivalrous!"

 _Romantic? Yeah, right. And Kyohei being chivalrous? Only when hell freezes over._

"I suppose." Was what I settled for instead, amusement clear in my tone.

"How long have you known each other?" Her next question gave me pause for thought.

The safe answer would be to say about a week or two after the surveillance assignment was called off. He had only allowed himself to be seen coming in and out of my apartment some time _after_ the Hokage had cleared my name and deemed me harmless for Naruto to be around, so that it wouldn't be deemed as an interference with the mission. By waiting a while before allowing us to be seen interacting publicly with each other, it lessened any suspicion that he might have made contact with me while the mission was ongoing.

He had already told me that he had submitted a 'conflict of interest' form to the Hokage after the mission was over, stating that he was emotionally biased and unfit to take up another mission that involved me again.

This was, apparently, not uncommon and even expected within the world of ninja – it was expected that a ninja who had become emotionally compromised report it straight away, and he had done so, even if it was fake. And by doing so it had given him a green light to commence with those ridiculous plans of his.

But it also lessened any suspicions; it would be believed that he had waited until after the mission had closed until making contact with me, and it would also make him look like a dutiful and loyal shinobi for disclosing the truth instead of attempting to hide a relationship as some did. Secret relationships within the ranks weren't uncommon, though they were discouraged.

And since he had waited until my name was clear and had informed the Hokage beforehand, it meant that the answer I would be expected to give was two weeks.

Two weeks of letting ourselves be seen in public together, and about another week and a half of us interacting secretly beforehand. I had remained sick for another week or so after the day he had revealed he was also from the same world I was, so my story of him having purchased medicine for me would fall perfectly into that timeline.

"About a week or two." I supplied carefully, after having thought out all the details inside my head. Kyohei and I would need to finalize our official version of that story together when he got back, but for now I felt that I had made the safe choice.

"He must have really swept you off your feet, huh?" She sighed dreamily, as if imagining it inside her head. "I guess that's about the normal timeframe for any marriage though, and I know lots of girls who never even saw their groom before the wedding day. You're lucky, you know."

Another truth. It was not uncommon for a woman to be wed to a man she had never lain eyes upon. It was even applauded as more virtuous that way. The parents or a matchmaker would arrange the match and the bride and groom would meet for the first time at the shrine where they would hold the sake ceremony. If they were lucky, they might get a photograph of their soon-to-be spouse the day before the marriage.

Some young couples were arranged after years of knowing each other, however. Much like how my grandfather had wanted to arrange my match to Keiji.

And if I were being honest, a fake marriage with a solid friendship in Kyohei sounded much more appealing than my other options.

"Yeah, swept me right off my feet!" I laughed, though I imagined the way we were interpreting that phrase to be quite different from each other.

 _More like bulldozed me off my feet with that barbaric personality of his._

"Keiji-kun is going to be so put out, he's only ever had eyes for you."

"I'm sure he'll find somebody. Not like I had much of a dowry to offer anyways, he'd be better off marrying someone else." He was better off staying as far away from me as possible. I had become a magnet for all types of interesting characters and trouble recently.

It was better for him to find a nice civilian girl with a good dowry and reputation. He was a kind person, gentle and stoic, but if I had to spend the rest of my life being the wife of somebody who could never possibly know the real me, just the mask I wore day-to-day, then I would rather never be married at all.

I couldn't possibly imagine the idea of sharing a bed with someone who only knew you at face value, somebody who would only ever know the Kimari that this society had made out of me, not the Kimari who shared a consciousness with Lamees. That sounded like a horrible prison of an existence. I'd never be able to let my guard down, constantly wearing a mask, night and day.

"That reminds me, he knows you don't have a dowry, right? How does that work in ninja clans?" She asked next as she brought her hand up to knead at the muscles in her shoulder.

I paused.

I had absolutely no idea how dowries went about in the ninja clans. Just as Kyohei obviously had little to no idea how civilian life worked, I only had a vague idea of what clan life was like based off of what I remembered from the show or from the rumors I had heard.

Even so, the concept of a dowry was one I was familiar with from my previous life.

Islamic society still used the dowry system for brides and grooms; however, in an Islamic society, it was reversed. The _man_ had to pay a gift to the _woman_ that he wanted to marry. A woman could list any price she wanted, whether it be gold, money, education, land or the like, and if the man wanted her as his wife badly enough he had to pay it.

It was called _Mahr._ And it was a way to ensure that a woman was well-provided for. It was an idea that was essentially feminist in nature, and the gifts that the groom and his family gave to the wife were her property and hers alone.

But it was the opposite in the elemental nations, there were no laws here to protect the rights of women. Here a woman was seen as a burden, just another mouth to feed, so it was the bride's family who had to pay the dowry to ease the burden of the groom's family having to accept her into their home.

It was somewhat sickening to me, so different from the way that women had been treated in my first life – with the utmost respect and care. Our religion had stated that 'paradise lies at the feet of your mother', and had given clear rights for women when practiced correctly – but I had none of that here.

I no longer had the right to vote, own property, decide my own future, or even leave the village without the consent of a male guardian – not like I'd had before.

"I…don't know. He never asked me for it." I replied quietly, trying to reign in the sense of injustice that was beginning to creep into my mind.

"Well, he's an Inuzuka, right? I'd be willing to bet they don't really care about that stuff. They're pretty wild, I hope you know what you're getting into." She looked to me then, a flash of mischief showing across her eyes.

 _You and me both._

"Ah." Was my noncommittal response as I let myself sink lower into the water.

A life with the Inuzuka would never be boring, that much was certain.

It was silent for a few minutes, as we both reflected on our conversation and relaxed in the thermal waters.

"I want to cut my hair." I finally voiced the seemingly random comment out loud after a while, turning my head towards my longest friend to gage her reaction. "Short, like the modern girls are wearing it, right around my shoulders."

She chuckled softly, meeting my gaze with a certain eagerness.

"And I suppose you want my help? You've become pretty bold recently, but it suites you."

"Is that a yes?" I cocked an eyebrow, knowing that I had my answer when her eyes narrowed playfully and her lips quirked upwards. She'd always had a penchant for the dramatics, and helping me break away from the traditions was probably the most fun she'd had in a while.

"I'll grab a pair of scissors from the front desk."

.

* * *

.

' _snip.'_ Another long lock slipped from my shoulders to wind its way down to the floor, joining a pile of long brown tresses that only continued to grow.

' _snip.'_ The back of my neck felt cool, most likely from the fact that I no longer had much hair covering it.

' _snip.'_

' _snip.'_

' _snip.'_

My head felt lighter, no longer burdened with the weight of the long locks.

My hair had been long, just grazing my hips. And with the thick and long locks now gone, my head felt lighter than it ever had. It was a strange sensation, to feel the tips of my hair just brushing against my shoulders, tickling at the skin there. It was the shortest I had ever worn my hair, both in this life and the last.

It would make a statement, that's for sure. It would be a visible reminder that I had broken away from the traditions and traded them in for a more modern way of life – and I would wear it proudly. It would be considered an act of rebellion to some. This was the first step I would be taking on my own to distance myself from the strict and oppressive society I had been raised in. It would be the first step out of many to more freedom.

"There, all done." Machi proclaimed proudly, stepping back to get a good look at her work as she twirled the scissors in her fingers. "What do you think?"

I looked past Machi and into the mirror behind her.

My reflection was like a different woman entirely.

Standing before the mirror and clad only in a towel, I crept closer to the alien woman in the reflective surface. My reflection looked fierce, or at least not quite so docile as I had looked before, with my perfectly combed traditional bun and not a hair out of place. My hair was thick and straight, and looked much more voluminous now that it wasn't weighed down by such long locks. I looked like a woman, not the porcelain doll I had been made up to resemble for years.

"I can cut some bangs for you if you want." Machi offered, watching me carefully as I watched myself.

"No, this is absolutely perfect." I breathed, a smile spreading across my face. "Thank you, Machi-chan!"

"I'm just happy to see you happy, don't thank me." She replied as she moved to begin cleaning up the large pile of hair. I turned from my reflection to move next to her, squatting down to the floor to help collect the hair there. "It's been a long time since I've seen you smile the way you have been recently."

I blinked, glancing at her as we both rose to dump the hair into a nearby waste bin.

"I think I _have_ been happier." I admitted, to which she nodded. She voiced her next question to me while we began to redress ourselves.

"It's that boy, isn't it? He's the reason you're smiling."

I paused with my arm halfway through the sleeve of my inner garments.

"Yes." My reply was a simple, one worded affirmation as I shoved my arm through the sleeve and tightened it before reaching for my yukata.

Machi frowned slightly, before rolling her eyes towards the heavens and exhaling loudly.

"You sure know how to pick them. An Inuzuka and the village outcast? Your grandfather is probably rolling in his grave."

I opened my mouth to protest but she beat me to it, raising her hand in a motion to ask that I let her continue.

"What I mean to say is that you should be careful. I'll always support you, but there are some really horrible men and women in this village. It won't be easy." She exhaled again, squaring her shoulders as she turned to face me completely, as if somehow gathering the courage it took her to say what came next. "And if that _boy_ means so much to you…then I guess I'll just have to accept him too."

My jaw actually hung ajar. That had not been what I had expected her to say at all. Last time we spoke about Naruto, she had given the impression that she could never learn to accept him. I had no doubt it was painful for her. It brought back memories of the night she had lost her mother, and how she had suffered under a cruel step-mother afterwards as a result.

But it seemed she had come to distance those memories of pain and suffering from Naruto himself.

"But don't you breathe a word to anyone, alright? That boar of a stepmother already hates me enough, she'd throw me out of the house if she ever heard me say that!"

I stepped behind her to help her tie her obi as I responded.

"My lips are sealed!"

Soon enough, we were dressed and saying our goodbyes at the front of the onsen. I watched her as she left, contemplating just what had shifted in her mentality to prompt her to adopt a different view towards Naruto. Her confession had shocked me, although I wasn't complaining. That kid needed all the support he could get.

I started down the street in the opposite direction that Machi had left for, enjoying how the cool evening breeze ruffled my hair and brushed the short ends softly against my neck. I turned down an alley as I brought my hand up to run my fingers through the short locks.

Society could say what they wanted about the new look; I liked it, and that was all that mattered.

The evening was cooler than most recent, a certain chill in the air that hinted at the coming of autumn. Autumn here was pleasant, a well-deserved break from the humid heat of summer. The air would turn crisp, and although never too cold, there was just enough nip in the air to allow the trees to turn varying shades of reds, golds, and oranges.

It was my favorite season, and by far the most pleasant out of all in my opinion. The Sakura trees were lovely in the spring, but I still preferred autumn.

The moon was now shadowed, dark clouds made heavy with water blocking out the light from the celestial bodies. I shivered as a breeze swept through the alley I had turned down, a shortcut between two major streets to allow me to get home quicker.

I was very close to home now, walking quicker as the clouds rolled in and threatened rain. I had just come from the thermal baths, and did not want to get drenched in water after having dried off. But that wasn't the only reason I was hurrying; there was something that always seemed somewhat foreboding about a storm rolling in.

The way the wind rustled the trees and blew the leaves about in the air, how the heavy clouds blocked the light from the sky to obscure us in darkness, the way in which the air seemed to crackle with energy and rumbles of thunder could be heard in the distance – it was both comforting and ominous at the same time.

But it felt more ominous than anything this time, as I was alone, and beginning to regret having taken the shortcut down an alley that was not well-lit like the streets were. I could hardly see, and I didn't have the same animal-like senses that Kyohei did, but I had the unsettling feeling that I was not alone.

In fact, it was so hard to see that I hardly saw the two men until they were just meters from where I stood. They were blocking the exit to the alleyway, their large forms imposing in the darkness.

I stopped short, my unease now skyrocketing as I studied their casual postures. They seemed unworried and confidant, but I doubt that meant anything good.

I glanced back over my shoulder in the direction I had come, wondering if it might be a better option to turn back. But the alleyway behind me was even darker, unoccupied, and the darkness behind me seemed just as dangerous as the two men in front of me.

My head snapped back forward when I heard one of them speak.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here." The tone of voice he used was light, as if he were surprised to have stumbled upon a young woman here. Somehow, I doubted it came as much of a surprise at all from the way his eyes were gleaming. "Isn't she a little doll?"

I took a step back when the man who was speaking pushed himself off of the brick wall he had been leaning against, the sudden movement giving me cause to start. I could feel my senses heightening, the way they often did when adrenaline begins to rush in your veins.

"Leave me alone." I called out, attempting to channel what little strength I possessed into a tone I hoped sounded commanding enough to be taken seriously.

No such luck.

"Isn't that cute, Hideki? She thinks she can give us orders!" The man named Hideki laughed along with him, the dark and throaty chuckles sending a shiver through my body. "That's good, I like it when they get feisty."

"I have your name now, I'll report you for harassment!" I threatened, though my voice held a slight tremor to it. "If you go now, I won't say a word. Your choice." I shot back, taking another two nervous steps back as they began to prowl forward, slowly closing what little distance lay between us.

My threat didn't even phase them. If anything, it was more amusing than concerning to these two predators.

"Look, she's shaking, poor little thing." The larger of the two men cooed in a voice that made me feel sick. "Why don't you come on over here, I can make you _feel better-"_

"Stay back!" I shrieked as he took a few more steps forward. My eyes darted nervously for any sort of weapon or means for escape, heart sinking when I found none. Adrenaline now surged in my body and my heart was pounding double time.

"Didn't your Kaa-san ever teach you not to play with your food, Nobuo?" The shorter of the two chastised playfully as he leered in my direction. "C'mon, I don't think I can wait much longer for a taste!"

And that was it.

My instincts of 'fight or flight' kicked in, and flight it was.

I pivoted, stepping out of my geta sandals and pulling up my yukata as I broke into a desperate run, pushing my muscles to their limit and screaming at the top of my lungs in the hopes of being heard.

I didn't make it far.

One hand grasped at my hair to yank me backwards and wrap a large hand over my mouth to keep the desperate pleas and terrified shrieks inside. I groaned at the shock and sudden pain of my head snapping backwards and the stinging sensation upon my scalp, slightly disoriented at the rough force of it.

I struggled in vain, but the limbs that wrapped around my small frame were like iron. No matter how I twisted or wrenched myself to one side or the other, I was trapped in a cage of arms that were much stronger than mine.

There were hands on my body then, grabbing and yanking at my clothing. In my panic, I felt a rush of gratitude that Machi had tied my obi so tight, the man was struggling with the tight and elaborate knot of fabric that held my clothing in place, which allowed me the opening I needed to fight back.

I kicked wildly, managing to catch the shorter one, Nobuo, in the face. The dull crunch of bone breaking resounded in the night sky when my heel made contact with his nose, and he reeled in shock and pain, sputtering foul curses at me as he clutched at his now broken nose. I was too terrified to feel the excitement of the small victory.

It didn't take long for him to retaliate, however, and my sense of victory was short-lived when the force of his backhanded strike split my bottom lip. I could taste my own blood in my mouth, and my head spun violently as I attempted to gather my wit.

"You _wench-"_ He seethed, the blood pouring from his nose staining his teeth red as he bared them at me. "Hold her still, Hideki, I'm going to show this little whore what happens when-"

He never got to finish his sentence, a flash of orange and an angry yell cutting him short. But when I heard it, my heart soared in relief.

" _KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

I was dropped immediately to collapse into a mess at their feet as my two predators came face to face with an army of murderous looking clones, each holding a sharpened kunai pointed at them in hostility.

"Get the hell away from her you bastards '-ttebayo!"

My head swiveled towards the owner of the voice from my position on the ground, the copy of Naruto that I was now certain was the original, judging by the strange orange glow around him and the way his whiskers were beginning to elongate.

 _Oh no._

He was reacting on emotions of anger most likely, and the electric buzz and horrifying killing intent that was leaking from his body, along with chakra that was visible to the eye when it shouldn't have been, made it clear that he was losing control.

The two men began to back up, hands in the air and one of them shaking like a leaf at the sight of him, no doubt terrified of the reminder of what dwelled inside the village outcast that they had provoked.

"H-hey, calm down! We didn't mean no harm, we'll let her be!"

"We were just havin' some fun, no need to start a ruckus!"

But Naruto was having none of it, only seeming to grow angrier and angrier by the second as I watched, dumbfounded, while his chakra began to coil around him, casting an ethereal and reddish-orange glow to the surrounding area in the darkness.

The genin glanced to me, gaze narrowing when he saw the blood on my face and how my hair and clothing was disarranged. His look of horror and rage mixed together as he took in my appearance.

The chakra began to turn red and expand further around him.

I was frozen, watching dumbfounded as the chakra continued to swirl around his figure and as his features morphed further from what I knew to be the sweet young boy next door and into something foreign – something of ancient power, something horrifying.

It wasn't like the anime or manga, there were no words to describe the feeling of despair and rage that choked the air and smothered my soul. The amount of pure and untouchable power that seeped from his body was unlike anything I had ever seen or felt before in my life, and it rendered me immobile and crackled throughout the air like the lightning that was beginning to flash in the distance.

It was terrifying, and the killing intent that poured from him made my heart shudder and my limbs freeze as I sat in awe, unable to move. After what felt like a lifetime, my sense of reason and logic whispered to me through the horrible barrage of tainted chakra and killing intent in the air.

 _You have to get up, you have to do something. He's losing control._

But the voice of my inner thoughts was not enough to convince my limbs to move. I felt helpless as I continued to watch with wide eyes.

 _Get up! Help him!_

In a split second, the faces of my two brothers I had lost flashed through my mind. The grief of their deaths ripped my heart in two as if the memory itself were still fresh. I had failed them, I hadn't been there to help them when they needed me the most; and as a result, I had lost them.

But Naruto was here, alive and breathing. And there was still a window of opportunity for me to make a difference – there was a chance to help.

I pushed myself off of the ground, breaking into a short run to where he stood. I ignored the swirling chakra around him, and the feeling as if my skin were being burned the closer I stepped towards him. The chakra and physical energy that surrounded him seemed to push back against me, almost like a barrier to keep me away, but I only pushed harder until I had reached him.

His body stiffened when I circled my arms around him and pulled him close to me, as if I were scared he might slip like the desert sand through my grasp.

Behind me, I vaguely took note of the sounds of the scuffling of feet that signified the two men were making a run for it, but I didn't care.

"It's okay! I'm okay! I'm here!" My voice was frantic as I combed my fingers through his hair and held him close. "You saved me, I'm okay, it's all okay."

"They _hurt_ you!" He yelled in anguish with a voice that only half sounded like him, selfless sentiment shining through his livid and roiling emotion. He was shaking, and the chakra only continued to snake in circles and burn anything near it.

"And they'll pay for it, but you need to calm down!" I whispered quickly, pulling back to place my palm against his cheek and fighting the grimace that threatened to form from how hot his skin was burning. "Look at me, I'm okay. I'm okay…"

His eyes were wild, but I only repeated that same line to him over and over again until the temperature began to drop. I lost track of how long we stayed like that, but slowly, the markings on his cheeks became less pronounced. The chakra swirled slower and slower until it stopped, finally dissipating into the air like a fine mist.

The heat and coiling chakra was gone, and all that remained was a boy and a young woman in the aftermath. I sank to my knees with a shuddering breath, Naruto following as well with a distinct look of conflicted emotion and turmoil.

"You're – you're not scared?" He voiced hesitantly, meeting my gaze with a tumultuous look of his own.

Somehow, I had the vague notion he wasn't talking about the two men he had frightened away.

"How could I be?" I replied fiercely, grasping his hand in my own and squeezing it tightly. "You saved my life! You're a hero."

His eyes mimicked saucers, his breath catching in his chest as he stood straighter at my words, rising to his feet to stare in the direction that the two attackers had ran off in.

"I'll stay with you '-ttebayo, but…" He trailed off, looking with confliction between me, his clones, and the path that the two men had taken. "I'm not sure what to do."

"Send a clone to the Military Police, let them handle it. Those guys were civilians I think, so we should file a report." I took a breath, drawing my knees to my chest from my position sitting on the dirty ground of the alleyway. "I'm just – I need a minute."

The adrenaline rush was over, and my body felt shaky, my mind not quite processing all that had just taken place. In the heat of the action, my movements had been quick and my mind sharp as I fought back, but now that the adrenaline was gone it all felt numb and foggy.

I glanced up when I felt a droplet of rain on my head, the coolness of the precipitation a shock against my still-warm skin.

"Hop on, Kimari-nee."

"Huh?" I let out the inquisitive syllable as I looked to my side to see Naruto crouched down, waving from behind at me and gesturing towards his back.

"I don't want you to get sick again, I'll take you home."

"I can walk, don't worry." I replied immediately, though my knees wobbled when I stood on my own, betraying the fact that I was still too jittery and shocked by the recent events to make it very far by myself.

"It's not far, Nee-chan, I don't mind. You're pretty small so you won't crush me or nothin'."

I let out a snort of laughter that ended in something that sounded like a cross between a hiccup and a strangled sob.

"If you're sure…"

Naruto was right in the end. We truly weren't too far from our apartment complex, and I wasn't much larger than him, so he was able to carry my trembling form with ease. I was only about ten centimeters taller than him, and probably weighed less. Kimari's body was quite petite, but it was a fact that worked in my favor this time around.

Neither of us spoke, even after we had crossed into the threshold of my apartment. I sat at my table upon his request, staring blankly in front of me as he ran back to his apartment and returned quickly with an armful of cup ramen and a blanket that smelled as if it hadn't been washed recently.

We sipped on the warm and salty broth of the instant ramen until the Military Police officers arrived to speak with me and inform us that the men had been apprehended. Heavy thanks were given to Naruto, who looked uncomfortable with the praise from two shinobi he didn't know. Apparently, the two men had been accused of similar assaults in neighboring villages, as well as illegal goods smuggling and had entered our village with false documents.

Naruto stayed glued to my side with his hands balled into tight fists underneath the table as I recalled the events aloud while the officers took my statement. I felt detached as I spoke, almost as if it had not been me who had been attacked, but another woman – as if I had only watched the events unfold to somebody else.

 _Shock._ I realized mildly as the pieces came together. _I'm in shock._

That would certainly explain how strange I felt, certainly not the reaction a woman attacked in an alleyway ought to have. I didn't cry, didn't yell, didn't break down – nothing.

Those men had ripped at my clothing, put their hands all over my body, and had struck me across the face. But here I was sipping serenely on a cheap noodle cup and wrapped in the blanket that Naruto had placed over my shoulders, unable to feel much of anything at all.

I felt numb, like my senses had taken leave of me.

The police eventually left, but Naruto did not. When I glanced towards him, drawing my eyes from the empty space in front of me I had been gazing off into, I found the turmoil once again registering on his features.

"I'm staying, Kimari-nee, and you're not allowed to argue." He said with such seriousness that it seemed out of character for such a lighthearted child.

But I found I didn't have the strength to argue even if I had wanted to. I still felt numb and detached, but I knew enough to be certain that I was not comfortable being on my own.

"My grandfather's old futon is inside the closet of my bedroom. You can set it up next to mine." My voice sounded scratchy when I finally found it, but Naruto only nodded and headed towards my room to grab the padded sleeping futon.

I stood as well, moving past him and into my bathroom while his worried gaze followed my movements as he set up his futon. I shut the door quickly so I wouldn't feel his eyes on me.

My reflection no longer looked spritely and modern as it had in the bathhouse just hours prior. A split lip, bruised and bloodied face, and ruffled hair and clothing were what greeted me instead. It was then that I also realized my shoes had been left somewhere in that alley, for my feet were quite dirty.

I dabbed at the blood on my lip as I started the water in the bathing station, the first step out of many to wash away the evidence of what had happened. But the water from the hot shower could only wash the dirt and the blood away, and I was left with the darkening skin around my face where he had struck me, as well as a horrible feeling of insecurity as a reminder of what happened.

The water would not wash away the bruises, nor would it wash away the feeling of those hands roaming my body. But I tried anyways.

I frowned as I traced my fingers lightly over my cheek when I had once again bathed and was standing in front of the mirror. A dark bruise was already forming and threatened to overtake a good portion of the pale skin of the left side of my face.

 _I'm lucky._

That thought struck me hard as I watched my reflection while dressing in my night clothes and towel-drying my hair, still feeling numb and moving robotically.

It could have been worse, it could have been so much worse, and I had escaped with little more than some bruises from an encounter that could have had a much more sinister outcome than my current reality.

I shook my head fiercely, not wanting to dwell on such dark thoughts. Taking a deep breath and exhaling, I opened the door to step back out into my room to find Naruto sitting on top of his futon and fiddling with his thumbs. He only spoke when I had also lowered myself to my own futon and pulled the covers over my body.

Lightning illuminated the room as he voiced his sentiments aloud.

"I'm sorry, Nee-chan." He said, his voice sounding much smaller than it normally did. "I wasn't fast enough. I came as soon as I heard you scream, but it wasn't fast enough. This is all my fault-"

I interrupted him, unable to take hearing another word.

"None of this is your fault, and it's not my fault either. Neither of us have anything to apologize for. Those men were sick, and they're the ones to blame." I stated harshly, the first real signs of emotion I had shown in the last two or three hours since the whole ordeal.

"I know –" He replied quickly, casting his head to the side. "I just – I mean – when I saw what they were trying to do, and how that man hit you…I lost control, and I wish you hadn't seen me that way. But I didn't know what to do, and I felt like – I felt like it was my fault for not coming in time. I was so _angry._ "

"It wasn't your fault, you know that." My voice was soft now, and I sat up as thunder crashed overhead. The rain that pelted against the window of my bedroom had also picked up, the storm raging like my own inner emotional struggle.

"I know…" He sounded defeated, his shoulders sagging downward.

Another roll of thunder sounded, and I flinched at the ferocity of the sudden storm. It was the time of year when fronts began to push their way through our lands, and they were usually accompanied with violent storms along with the cooler weather.

But I had never cared for storms, they reminded me too much of the sounds of airstrikes and left me feeling anxious – much like how I currently felt now that I was slowly beginning to feel things again.

"Why didn't you run away like they did, weren't you scared?" He asked suddenly, still unable to meet my eyes. "How are you still so calm?"

"I was scared." I admitted, and my heart wrenched when he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, a look of pure misery on his face. "But I was scared _for_ you, not scared of what's inside of you."

And it was the truth. I had been terrified for him when he had become so enraged that he had lost his control and sense of self. With every second that passed I had seen him lose more and more of any resemblance of the boy I had grown to care for, only to be replaced with murderous rage and a massive amount of chakra that did not belong to him.

That chakra had felt dark and hot to the touch, tainting the air around it with a sense of something foreign, something forbidden. And it had scared me to see him consumed with that.

"Really?" He asked quietly, as if testing me for deceit upon my tongue.

"Really." I affirmed strongly.

Another flash of lightening reflected in his eyes, illuminating the lighter blue of his irises and making them seem to glow in the dark. I shivered and tensed when the loud roll of thunder followed quickly behind it, a reminder of how frazzled my nerves were at the moment.

So much had happened, and I just didn't have the strength to stay up and talk about it anymore.

"I think I need to sleep, Naruto-kun. I don't feel much like myself." The soft fabric of my blanket felt warm and inviting as I pulled it up and over my body, laying back down and allowing my form to sink into the well-worn futon. "Thank you for everything. You're a true friend."

It was quiet for a moment, until he flopped down on top of 'Jii-san's old futon.

"I promise you can count on me, Kimari-nee. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again."

Despite all that had happened, all the hurt and confusion and numbness to the emotions that were raging deep inside of me, I couldn't help but give a soft smile.

.

* * *

.

Kyohei was exhausted.

He stood in front of his Hokage, covered in dirt and drenched in the chilly rain. His shaggy hair dripped clouded water onto the floor of the office.

He hadn't showered in a week and a half since the mission had begun, so he counted the rain as a blessing. His bodily odors were at least somewhat subdued while he stood at attention with his ANBU mask in his left hand while the Hokage read over his report for the second time.

Aki chose that exact moment to shake his massive body, showering everything in a five-foot radius in mud and water droplets.

He might have reprimanded the beast of a dog for splattering mud up the side of the Hokage's office walls, but his mind was far away from where he stood. But he was hardly thinking of anything in the present. All he could focus on was the chilling revelations he had made in the underground bunker.

All thirty-two body transport scrolls had already been sent towards the hospital for investigation and autopsy, and the leaflets of notes he had collected from the bunker were sitting in Hiruzen's hands.

Well, almost all of them.

The final and most horrifying piece of paper that had shocked him so thoroughly now lay in ashes somewhere deep underground.

He had destroyed it after committing it to memory, the piece of evidence that held the documented dates of successful experiments in combining the Soul Transmigration Jutsu that Orochimaru had developed himself with the forbidden Reanimation Jutsu.

It was the piece of paper that would change everything, and it was evidence he couldn't afford for anyone else within Konoha to see until he had more information. The thought was a troubling one indeed.

Even more troubling were the emotions he could feel from Kimari at this point in time. Something was off, wrong, but in a way he couldn't quite put a finger on. Her emotions were strained, dulled, and muddled. As if she were confused or perhaps concussed. And that troubled him greatly. He would go straight to her as soon as the Hokage gave him his dismissal, he decided.

"I admit that this is troublesome news indeed." His Hokage rumbled from across the desk, setting the papers Kyohei had collected back down to rest on the Oak surface of his desk. "Though I am not surprised if it is Orochimaru's doing."

Hiruzen sighed, and Kyohei found that the man looked about a decade older than he actually was as he rubbed tiredly at his temples. Why anyone would want this man's job was beyond him.

"You have done well, Kyohei-kun. You and your team will have a week of leave before being reinstated for your mission rotations. The Chuunin exams will soon be upon us, and there is much to prepare for." He informed the ANBU operative as he laced his fingers together in his lap. "With the international political situation as it is, I expect there to be trouble accompanying this exam. I want you and your team on standby and ready to mobilize when the signal comes, no matter your current rotational schedules. Am I understood?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Was his robotic reply. "We'll be ready when the call comes."

Hiruzen's next phrase, however, got more of a reaction out of him.

"There are two matters that I must inform you of before you leave." Kyohei's ears perked as he straightened taller, waiting for the elder shinobi to speak.

"There was an incident regarding the girl and Uzumaki Naruto."

Kyohei didn't like the way that sounded, and he suddenly felt very aware of the emotional strain he could sense from her. He began to feel nervous in the way he often did whenever he thought about her.

"An incident, Hokage-sama?" He voiced carefully, not displaying the dread he felt at those words.

An 'incident' never meant anything good. 'Incident' was the word they used to try to make somebody believe the damage wasn't as bad as it was.

The Hokage nodded, continuing.

"Naruto-kun intervened in an attempted assault against Sasaki-san, though he became compromised during the encounter. She was able to calm him and keep him from losing his control over the Kyuubi." His heart dropped with each word that came from the Hokage's mouth, a horrible feeling coming over him. "This is, as you are well aware, an extraordinary feat. It seems you were right about her character and intentions with Naruto-kun all along. She acted commendably given the situation. The village is indebted to her selfless act."

But he had stopped listening after the words 'attempted assault'.

"Where is she? Is she okay? What happened?" His voice rose with every question, and he checked himself at his display of emotion in front of Hiruzen. It was expected that he play the role of an obedient soldier, not a protective and emotionally compromised man.

"She is safe and well taken care of. You may go to her if you wish. However…" Hiruzen trailed off, catching his eye with a look of amusement.

Kyohei breathed a sigh of relief. It felt as though an immense weight had been lifted from his shoulders when he heard him say she was safe. Although, he couldn't say the same for himself with the way the Hokage's eyes were gleaming in innocent mirth.

"Yes, Hokage-sama?"

"Tsume has demanded your presence back at the Inuzuka compound immediately. I would recommend you leave as quickly as you are able. I am sure you are aware of her sentiments on being kept waiting."

 _Oh, shit._

The Hokage chuckled at the look of horror on his face.

"I must offer you both my congratulations at your upcoming union as well as my best wishes of luck for your conversation with Tsume." He added, and Kyohei had a sinking suspicion that those two well-wishes were somehow related.

He directed his chakra for a quick shunshin without waiting to be dismissed. The Hokage would forgive him, but his adopted mother would most certainly not be as easily placated.

He sprinted through the Inuzuka compound, pushing his tired and sore body as he ran towards the house of the matriarch, through the rain and past a smug looking Kiba and Akamaru on the porch. His cousin was probably glad it was Kyohei that was in for it with Tsume this time instead of himself.

He kicked off his sandals with gusto as he barreled into the house of the matriarch.

"She's waiting for you in the living room." Called Hana as she attempted to pass him in the hallway that led towards where Tsume was waiting. The killing intent was already seeping from that area, choking the air he breathed.

And that damn Hana looked as pleased as she ever had been as she passed him, informing him of his incoming doom in a sing-song type of tone.

"Wait! Hana-" He tried in desperation, attempting to grasp at her arm. "Don't leave me alone with her. I don't even know what she's mad about this time!"

Hana snorted, before flashing him a deadly smile with her canines glistening. It was then he realized he was alone, for even Aki had chosen to wait on the porch and abandon him to his fate.

"You don't know why she's mad? Oh Kami, you really are an idiot." She ripped her arm from his grasp. "Sorry, Nii-san, but you brought this upon yourself. Good luck, you're going to need it!"

And then he was alone.

His heart pounded in his chest as he crept slowly into the living room, feeling more like a dog with its tail between its leg than an ANBU captain. There was only one person in this entire universe that was scarier than Orochimaru or the Akatsuki, or any villain in this world of ninjas – and that person was Inuzuka Tsume.

He felt her strike before he even caught a glimpse of the fearsome woman.

She moved like a flash, driving her knee into his gut.

All the air in his body exited in one blow, and he feared he might spill the contents of his stomach when she stepped back, only to send a round house kick straight into his chest. The strength of the kick sent him through the paper screen doors and into the adjacent wall of the hallway where the wood cracked and splintered when he made impact with it.

"I've never seen such a pea-brained prick of an idiot in my entire life!" She snarled, picking him up by the scruff of his neck the way she had done when he was still a pup. "I ought to rip those tattoos off your cheeks for this little stunt you pulled! You don't deserve to call yourself and Inuzuka!"

"Wait! Tsume! I can explain!" He cried out in terror as she threw him back into the living room. She was tossing him, a grown man, around like he was nothing more than a sack of rice.

"Then you had better start explaining!"

"I promise she's a great girl, I know I didn't talk to you about it beforehand but she'll be a great addition to the clan and-"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before she had yanked him back to his feet by the straps of his ANBU uniform.

"Is that what you think this is about, you little shit? My sister would be ashamed." She growled, pulling him close to her face as she continued. "Did you even think before you acted? They're different than we are, you have to use that tiny brain of yours every now and then and think!"

"What are you talking about?!" He brought his hands up to where she was holding him by the chest straps of his black uniform, the woman had hoisted him in the air, so that his toes hardly touched the floor.

And Kyohei was a tall man.

"Do you have any idea what it feels like to be a woman on her own in this village? And a civilian no less?"

Kyohei stilled in silence, not completely understanding what was being said. He didn't understand what it was like to be a woman, but he was doing this to protect her, to provide her with the best he could give her. Why would Tsume have a problem with that? Was that not the best thing he could have done? What did her being a civilian have anything to do with this? She'd be better off with the Inuzuka than those stuck up civilians, so what was the problem?

His confusion must have been evident on his face, because she dropped him to let him fall on his rear and squatted down in front of him to continue.

"If she had been a ninja it would have been different, but you took her honor from her by being careless. I don't give a shit about who you choose for a mate, as long as they can adapt to our way of life and be an asset to the clan, even if it's a civilian." She seethed, eyes narrowing dangerously. "But you brought dishonor to our family name by allowing your mate's name to be shamed. You didn't protect her honor, and you've acted like a _child_ \- not a man, and certainly not an Inuzuka."

"I thought she'd be better off in the clan!" He argued in his defense, though his heart clenched at the words that had left Tsume's mouth. "Why would her honor be at stake?"

"My sister raised a bonehead in you." Tsume scoffed. "Did you even think about what the repercussions might be for an unmarried civilian woman with no family? All that girl has to her is her honor, and you took that from her and left her to clean up your mess. Do you know who came to help her when it should have been you? Kiba did, Kiba and that Uzumaki brat, but not you."

"I didn't think-"

"Exactly." The terrifying matriarch interrupted him. " _You didn't think_. You didn't think about anybody but yourself. You didn't think about that girl, you didn't think about village politics, and you didn't think about how your clan would be affected. Selfish _brat_. Your actions as my son reflect on our entire clan. I raised you better than this." She spat, venom leaking from her lips.

His heart clenched as the truth was spelled out for him.

He now understood why she was so upset. The Inuzuka defended their own, fiercely so. They were the type who would fight to the death for their family name and their honor. Strength and honor were the two most important things to their clan.

Tsume was right, he hadn't thought about anything or anyone else. He hadn't thought about how Kimari would be affected. In his mind, it had seemed logical, like a simple math equation. Make the girl his mate in name only so that she would be given the protection she seemed to need to survive here. Simple.

But Kimari was a civilian, and though Kyohei had lived among them for years, he had never truly understood the rigor and traditionalist attitudes of the civilian society. He had thought it oppressive and barbaric, and he had steered clear of it. He had thought that Kimari might be better off after he had announced their fake relationship, but he had been wrong, very wrong.

He had underestimated the ferocity to which the civilians would cling to their traditions. And he had left her on her own to face the public who had been tormenting her in his absence if what Tsume said was true.

He felt like a sack of _shit_.

He hadn't realized she would suffer so horribly. But then he recalled to mind Hiruzen's revelation of the most recent injustice she seemed to have suffered, and he froze. In that instant, nothing else mattered. He needed to make sure she was okay.

He needed to find her, he needed to make things right. But another horrible thought arose in his mind then – what if she didn't want anything to do with him anymore? What if he had made things so bad that she wouldn't forgive him?

"I need to go!" He blurted suddenly, to which Tsume only raised an unimpressed brow.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? I'm not done with you yet, pup." She muttered dangerously.

"I need to go make things right-" He felt frantic as he got to his feet, and Tsume eyed him carefully. "She was hurt while I was gone, I need to go to her. I'll fix it, Kaa-chan."

"Then what the hell are you waiting for?" She questioned him fiercely, pointing towards the door in a sharp, jabbing motion. "Get your sorry ass out of my house! Don't come back until you've decided to act like a man and the alpha this clan made of you!"

He didn't need to be told twice.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N – To those who are celebrating the Gregorian New Year, I hope that this year brings you all immeasurable joy, good health, prosperity, and simple happiness. Thank you all for your support, it means the world.**

 **No active warnings for this chapter, just a few dark themes related to Orochimaru. All the feels. Naruto is adorable. That is all.**

 **.**

* * *

.

They sat on opposite ends of the traditional dining table, tension nearly tangible in the stale air between them.

He hadn't been sure what to do the night before, after leaving Tsume so suddenly, only to find that Uzumaki Naruto had already taken care of the situation for him with no need for help. He had watched for some time in the tree branches under a cloaking jutsu, debating fiercely with himself about what he ought to do.

He could sense the added presence of a few extra ANBU nearby, which seemed to support what the Hokage had relayed to him about Naruto nearly losing control. Kyohei had underestimated just how much the boy cared for her, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't grateful that Naruto had been there in his absence, even if it had resulted in a little _incident_.

Naruto was more devoted than he had originally thought, and as Kyohei had theorized before, it was a good thing for Kimari that he was. Who knows what might have happened if he hadn't been there. He didn't want to think about it.

He repositioned himself on the adjacent rooftop to their apartment building, movements unsure as he thought about what options he could take. He wanted to go to her, but it was neither the time nor place for his intervention. She was sleeping peacefully, and Naruto was guarding her resting form with an unhappy frown and trembling shoulders that showed just how angry he was.

She would be okay without him for a bit longer with Naruto at her side.

It would serve no purpose to re-awaken her, and Naruto had spent the entire time that Kyohei had watched the two of them the pacing nervously around the room as she slept, obviously unsettled by the events that had taken place.

Kyohei couldn't blame him. 'Unsettled' didn't even begin to encompass the rage and despair he felt.

In the end, he decided it was best to wait until morning and give her the space she most likely needed at the moment. It had been an eventful night, and she deserved the rest, not he and Aki barging through the window.

He eventually found a good use for himself, however.

It was around three in the morning when he showed up at the Military Police station where the two men were being held. The two criminals had pleaded innocent, the damn thugs, but it didn't take long for Kyohei to weasel a confession out of them. All it took was a few broken fingers and a little killing intent.

 _Pathetic_.

The Military Police officer in charge of the precinct where she lived was a retired ANBU captain, Fuma Shirou, who had trained Kyohei when he was a new recruit in his teens. The elder man had no qualms in letting Kyohei take over the _investigation_ when he mentioned that the victim was somebody close to him. It wasn't the most professional thing of course, but ANBU stuck together, and Fuma-heichou had given him the green light and turned the other way when Kyohei found his way to the MP station in the middle of the night.

' _Just don't kill 'em.'_ Was the only instruction he'd been given from his previous Fuma-heichou, leaving Kyohei with quite a bit of wiggle room.

He normally found blatant sadism detestable, but he couldn't deny that breaking the fingers of the men who had dared to lay a hand on her felt like some sort of divine retribution.

After that he had wandered around the village with Aki until the sun rose and he felt it would be a good time to check in. His heart had raced when he knocked tentatively upon her door, only to have it opened by Naruto himself.

' _Kyohei-nii'_ The genin had addressed him with a look of relief in his eyes. _'Boy am I glad you're here '-ttebayo. She wouldn't go to the hospital and she's been sleepin' a really long time…'_

And now here they were, a few hours later, sitting stiffly in silence and waiting for Kimari to wake up.

He still felt unsettled and angry, and it looked like Naruto was much the same. The two had been sitting and fidgeting uncomfortably for much too long now. Even Aki was restless, large head laying down sadly upon the floor and an occasional whine of discontent whistling from his snout.

The clock on her wall chimed, and Naruto frowned unhappily.

"You have somewhere to be or something?" Kyohei prompted him quietly, having noticed how the boy was monitoring the clock with continuous glances.

"Training." He mumbled with a scowl. "I was supposed to be there thirty minutes ago."

"Knowing Hatake he probably won't be there for another hour at least." Kyohei reassured him with the ghost of a smirk upon his lips. "But if you need to go I'll hold down the fort here."

"I don't want her to wake up alone is all."

"She won't be. I'm not going anywhere, that's a promise."

The two ninja held each other's unwavering gazes for a moment before Naruto gave a firm nod, seemingly satisfied with his answer.

"Alright then, I'll be back as soon as I can." And with that last dejected sentiment, Naruto slipped on his sandals and let himself out the door.

The time passed slowly as he closely monitored her fluttering chakra signature, assured she was still sleeping like the dead. Minutes stretched into hours and still she slept. The ticking from that ancient clock of hers began to sound like gongs ringing in his ears with his enhanced senses, and he could feel sweat on the back of his neck.

Why he was so nervous? He wasn't completely sure.

At fifteen minutes and forty-six seconds after the clock had rung for three in the afternoon, and he knew that because he had been listening to every damn tick that the loud clock was making, she finally stirred.

He listened to the ruffling of blankets as she sat up from within her room, and he felt the confusion from her over their link as she roused herself from her deep slumber.

"Naruto-kun?" She called, voice scratchy from sleep and a hint of panic on her tone at the boy's absence.

He cleared his throat awkwardly.

"He left for training, I'm here with you." He called back in a soft tone, so as not to frighten her.

Kyohei had no doubt that he was most likely the last person she wanted to see right now, and he couldn't blame her. The guilt had been eating at him over the last few hours, he certainly wouldn't want to see himself if he was her, now that he knew just what she had been put through as a result of his careless actions.

The light sound of padding soles against the wooden floorboards of her apartment were soft as she stepped into view.

He grit his teeth when he saw her, and Aki shifted in surprise, no doubt from the onslaught of raging emotion he was receiving from his human partner in that instance. Kyohei's mouth opened, but he couldn't seem to form any words.

He stayed like that a moment longer, gaping like an idiot, until she lowered her gaze and spoke, seeming to fold in on herself as she did so.

"…It's not as bad as it looks." Was all she said.

But he doubted that was true. The majority of one side of her face held a myriad of different hues of inky blues and deep purples to the flesh, discoloring the natural color of her skin. Her lower lip was a mess, the soft pink skin split and bruised, with crusted blood and scabs that looked tender to the touch. He felt his heart sink as he looked at her.

He wished then that he had done more than just break a few fingers, those two bastards had gotten off easy.

He found himself not quite knowing what to say as they stared openly at each other.

 _I'm sorry, I'm so sorry._

"I – uh – I brought a salve." Was what he stuttered out instead, rising to his feet and gesturing towards the seat that Naruto had previously occupied. "Just sit down, I'll make you some tea. Are you hungry?"

She shook her head slightly, taking a few small steps forward and sinking into a seat while wringing her hands in an action that made her look as though she felt extremely uncomfortable.

He glanced towards Aki then, giving the dog a pointed look. The ninken was to his feet in an instant when he caught wind of Kyohei's silent instructions, nails clicking against the wooden floor as he approached the young woman. The massive brown dog then curled around her seated form like some sort of winter parka, and laid his head right in her lap.

' _Aki help. Aki make his lady feel better.'_

Kyohei smiled once his back was turned to her. Nobody could resist some good 'ol puppy love. The Inuzuka were of the opinion that it was nature's best medicine.

He stole a glance towards the pair as he was placing the clay tea pot over her burner after lighting the coals in her outdated stove, watching as Kimari cooed at the large ninken, moving her hand softly over the area between his snout and his back in soft, repetitive motions.

When the tea was sitting in front of them, she did not move to touch it, only continuing to glide her hands over Aki's soft fur. Kyohei broke the silence first when it had become clear to him that she was content to say nothing.

"Naruto mentioned you wouldn't go to the hospital, but –"

"I'm not going." She cut in immediately, looking back up towards him with untold emotions swimming in her eyes.

"That's fine! No hospital!" He rushed quickly, pulling out a scroll from his pocket and extracting a small container of healing, chakra infused medical salve that he used on the field to help wounds heal quicker.

The salve itself was a miracle. Expensive and not available to civilians or common chuunin, Kyohei had seen that salve save many a life before with its anti-coagulant properties when an iryo-nin was unavailable to knit skin back together. It had many properties, and although it could not heal her bruises any faster, it would ease her pain and quickly heal the mess of her lower lip.

"I have this for you, it will help you heal faster. We'll stay here if that's where you're most comfortable." He reassured her as he placed it in front of her.

She eyed the salve in front of her, before picking it up and studying it inquisitively. After what seemed to be a minute or so of consideration, she unscrewed the lid and beginning to apply a generous amount to the tender bruises and lip.

"It feels cold." She stated after a moment as the light green salve absorbed into her skin and began to work its benefits. "Tingly." She added after another beat.

"It's infused with medical chakra." He explained, and she studied the small canister in fascination. "It won't do much for the bruises, but it will heal your lip and take some of the pain away. Keep it, I can always get more."

She paused in her analysis of the small metal tin that held the salve, eyeing him over the top of the lid.

"This must have cost a fortune."

"Don't worry about that."

Silence. Horrible, awkward silence.

"I helped in the interrogation. They confessed. They'll be behind bars until they're extradited so you won't have to worry about them." He began, not knowing where else to start.

There was so much to tell her, so much she would need to know, but he would have to start with this.

Kimari only nodded mutely as she continued to scratch behind Aki's ears, hardly even acknowledging a word he'd said.

He felt flustered. He was a ninja, rough and rugged, and he had never been anything but a soldier in both his first life and the last. He didn't know how to be soft and comforting, he didn't know how to be gentle. Gentleness was something he had always found himself lacking in. He wasn't sure how to help her.

"If you want to talk –" He started, only to realize very quickly it had been the wrong thing to say.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said, voice so casually normal that it sounded as if she might be discussing the weather. "Now, tell me about your mission. Maybe we could go out for an early dinner after you tell me about it? I'm starting to feel quite hungry, you see."

He kept his face impassive, even though his lips gave the urge to turn downwards. He knew what she was doing, he had seen many other shinobi and kunoichi do it before to distance themselves from reality.

She was dissociating, pretending as if everything were normal and burying her emotions so she would not have to address them.

"We can go anywhere you like." He assured her with a frown before carefully trying again. "But it might help if you talked, it doesn't have to be me or anything but –"

"I don't want to talk aboutit _."_ She repeated, this time with a tone of forced bravado as the words hissed through her teeth, momentarily stopping her petting motions on Aki's head and staring at him in defiance, eyes begging him to just leave it be.

So, he left it.

Emotions were a nasty thing, they always caught up with you one way or another, and she was no exception. He would just try his best to be there for her when that eventually happened. If she wanted to address the issue this way, then he would let her make that decision herself.

He had seen it all before.

It was a common assumption by new genin or unknowing civilians that the ninja of their village were somehow immune to grief, to guilt, to emotional pain – that their shinobi and kunoichi were robotic killing machines that served no other purpose but to defend their village. And it was partially true that they did it all for the sake of the village, and it did get easy over time; the more you killed the easier it got. But the regret, the guilt, and the turmoil still kept even the most hardened of veterans awake at night with haunting memories or night terrors. All those horrible emotions remained. They were not robots who felt nothing when they killed, they were just trained to hide their emotions better.

There were shinobi and kunoichi who came back shattered and broken from the assassination missions, especially when the target was an innocent or a child who the village elders had decided was not to be allowed to live, just because of politics or who they feared the child may one day grow up to be. But when those shinobi killed those children, they were just children, not yet having grown up to become the fear-mongering daimyo or vicious thug that their fathers had been.

There were ninja who were sent in to use the art of seduction and their bodies to get information from their targets before slitting their throats after the most intimate of acts. And those men and women who came back from those missions returned with little bits and pieces of their soul missing.

The village elders had asked Kyohei and his team to do horrible and disgusting things over the years, citing the 'Will of Fire' and claiming that it was only in the best interest of their village, that their families would remain safe if they were able to complete their mission, that they were heroes. Their ninja were conditioned from the beginning to believe that their lands and society had some sort of divine right to prosperity while the other lands and hidden villages did not.

The debriefing meetings he had to sit through before ANBU mission deployments were nothing but lies and propaganda. The higher ups would share classified intel or pictures of the enemy, painting their targets as demonic and listing all the things that the soon to be assassinated man or woman had done as an explanation of sorts as to why they no longer deserved to live.

It was all done to ignite the _Will of Fire_ in the chests of their soldiers before sending them off to become butchers of human lives. Because it was easier to kill if you saw your targets as somehow less than human or a threat to your society and way of life, it was easier to throw that shuriken or light that explosive tag if you had been trained to believe your target was lesser than you, that you deserved to live but they didn't. It was an age-old tactic, one that the he had also been accustomed to in his previous life in the military as well. It was a type of brainwashing that screwed with you big time, one that left lasting effects on your mental health.

And those were just a few examples of many. Their line of work was dark and gritty, not what it had sometimes come off as in the original series he remembered. The things this village did to help their economy and society prosper were disgusting, dastardly, and vile. But that's just what it took to survive in this world, and he knew it well. Only the powerful survived here.

The manga series he remembered had shown Konoha as the shining light, a beacon of goodness and passion and innocent patriotism. But at the end of the day their village was just as bad as he others. Perhaps a bit less bloodthirsty and a pleasant place to live, but still the same.

And it was the ninja of their village who had to carry that burned in sworn silence. He had seen his fair share of mental breakdowns, overwhelming emotion, and grief. He had seen what it did to people, what it had done to him too. He was no stranger to what was happening right in front of him, even if Sasaki Mari was not a ninja, she was still susceptible to emotion and grief. Nobody was immune to such things, civilians and shinobi alike.

The dam would break eventually, he knew from experience. He'd seen it all before. And judging by how her shoulders were quivering it wouldn't be long. A day at the most, perhaps even just hours. So, he relented.

"I won't mention it again. Just know that I'm here to listen if you need it." He offered, eyeing her reaction carefully.

"Just tell me about your mission." She demanded, eyes once again focusing on Aki's brown mane as she resumed her stroking of his fur.

He faltered at her request, even if he had expected it beforehand.

What to tell her? Especially in the state she was in now. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause her even more stress, but he knew he couldn't just keep that information to himself.

"I'm not sure that's best right now." He replied with some reluctance.

But he believed it to be true. He doubted Orochimaru would come barreling down the village gates if he waited one more day for her body and mind to heal before he told her of what he'd learned in the bunker.

"I can handle it." She said steadily, jutting her chin out like a child as if to prove some sort of point.

"Look, I really think it's best if you just focus on healing for –"

She interrupted him again.

"Tell me." She demanded harshly. "This involves me too, you can't keep it from me."

He sighed, the exhaustion of not sleeping in almost three days beginning to catch up with him. The effects of the soldier pills were wearing off. He was tired, so very tired, both mentally, emotionally, and physically.

She was right of course, she did have a right to know. And he had absolutely no right to keep it from her, even if he was of the opinion that it might be a little too much for her at the moment.

"Alright." He agreed tiredly before getting to his feet and heading back to the kitchen. "But let me cook something for you first. You're going to need your strength."

"It can't be that bad." She looked towards him, a questioning note to her statement, honey colored eyes brimming with apprehension as they locked gazes.

"I wish you were right."

.

* * *

.

"So all of this, our entire lives, our births here – it was all an experiment?" I said cautiously, not quite swallowing all the information Kyohei had revealed to me upon my insistence. Now I could see why he had been reluctant to share it in the first place.

An experiment.

 _An experiment_?

But…how?

"I'm not sure I'm following." I breathed, looking to him intently for any sign this might be a joke. I found none, however, much to my dismay. "Can you – can you explain it again?"

I watched Kyohei take a breath. This was the fourth time I'd asked him to explain things. But I couldn't help it.

The most I knew about jutsus and forbidden techniques was from what I remembered of the anime I'd watched, but what I didn't know was how those techniques worked or how they had been developed and applied behind the scenes. There was a complex science and methodology behind such things, and it was one I struggled to fully grasp at times.

"Yeah, I'll start from the beginning again."

I sent him a look of thanks, he had been terribly patient with me so far.

"Do you remember the Reanimation Jutsu from the plot?" He questioned, once again starting off with the basics. He continued when I nodded silently. "I don't think he's perfected it yet, not if the notes were anything to go by. Regardless, the Reanimation Jutsu is only half of what brought us here."

 _Right, the Reanimation Jutsu is the creepy one that brings the dead to life. Which would explain why we are both living again when we clearly died. The difference is that we weren't brought back in our original bodies like the others were._

"Okay, I'm following so far." I mumbled, thinking of the horrifying jutsu that brought the dead to life with no control over their own physical actions to an extent. The idea that the Reanimation Jutsu had any part in bringing us here made me feel sick. "And the other half?"

"Looks like it was something he made up himself, a jutsu he had been developing and experimenting on with little kids and animals. That's what I found on this mission. He's trying to perfect a way to transfer his soul to another body." Kyohei had a look of disgust in his eyes, and I didn't press him for the details for both our benefit. "The document I found and destroyed had lists of successful and failed attempts of combining those two jutsu."

 _So he combined a jutsu that brings a soul back with a jutsu that has the capability to transfer that soul to another body._

"And the days that we first woke up here were listed under the successes?" I questioned cautiously.

"Yes."

"Where there more?" I asked, the sudden idea popping into my mind. Kyohei's gaze grew dark at the question.

"…Yes. There were three more successful dates listed besides ours."

So, we weren't alone. I had begun to suspect it might be the case after finding Kyohei here, but instead of leaving me feeling comforted, I felt quite nervous at the idea.

They could be anybody, anywhere, and there was no way to tell just who or where they were, or even what their allegiances may be.

"Let's stay on track. We can come back to that later." He suggested, looking uncomfortable himself at the thought. "The only time it looks like he succeeded in pulling a soul from somewhere and into another body is when he combined his own jutsu, the Soul Transmigration Jutsu, with the Reanimation Jutsu – which makes sense if you think about it, considering we were both already dead when we were pulled from our own world to this one."

"Wait, wait, wait." I started nervously. "Then wouldn't that mean that our bodies here – the original Mari and Kyohei…"

I trailed off, unable to finish the idea aloud. I felt sick, horrified at the thought.

"Yeah. It would." He murmured, catching my train of thought, disgust once again clear on his features. "The original hosts of these bodies would have died in infancy, that's how he was able to place our souls into these bodies and revive them. I'm not sure it would work if the host was still living, and since we don't share a conscious with the original Mari and Kyohei, I think that gives us our answer."

"That's…I don't know how to feel about that." A violent shiver ran down my spine. "I guess it would explain why I don't remember being born, just waking up here as a baby."

I had been inhabiting the body of a dead girl for two decades. The original Sasaki Mari had died as an infant, and her soul had already vacated the corpse she left behind by the time mine was shoved inside of her dead body.

Even if the body had been revived, it didn't make me feel any better.

It was no wonder the jutsu had only worked a few times, though; the timing must have had to be absolutely perfect in order to have success from the sound of it. It would have had to have been performed at the exact moment that both Lamees and Mari had died.

The exact moment Lamees had died in Palestine, Mari had died in Konohagakure; and at that exact moment of both our deaths, Orochimaru had performed his combination jutsu.

"Best not to think about it, won't do us any good." Kyohei barked out gruffly, obviously sickened by the idea as well.

"Is there a reason it only worked with infants who had died? Why didn't we wake up in the bodies of adults or teens or the elderly?" I asked, brows furrowing slightly as I thought about it.

"I have a theory that it's because the chakra networks are still developing at that stage and are more lenient to change and influence." He mumbled, gears turning in his head as he spoke. "He only used children for the majority of the experiments he's conducted so far, even when he was using Hashirama's cells to try and bring back the Wood Release. Children and infants would be better test subjects for him if that's the case because their chakra systems would still be able to accept changes to their pathways and networks."

"So does that mean our experiment was listed as a success then?" I asked, eager to direct the conversation away from such morbid thoughts. Experimentation of children was something I wasn't sure I could stomach at the moment.

"Not quite." Kyohei shook his head as he answered. "Even though he knew the experiment succeeded, the entire experiment as a whole was listed as a failure after a decade or so of trial and error."

 _A failure? But why?_

Why had he considered it a failure if he knew that he had successfully brought five souls back to life and into this world? What factor could there possibly be that he would give up the experiment when he had made a groundbreaking success?

 _Unless_ …

"Is it possible he didn't have control over where our souls were distributed once we were brought to this world? Is it possible he doesn't know who or where we are?" I voiced the question in wonder, looking to Kyohei with wide eyes.

"It's a strong possibility. That's what I was theorizing." He admitted. "But it would be dangerous for us to assume he doesn't know of our whereabouts. The man may be the devil incarnate into flesh, but he _is_ a genius. We can't let our guard down with anything concerning Orochimaru."

I stilled as his words sunk in.

"But he must be aware that we're all out there though, even if he doesn't know where." I clarified, reading between the lines. "He might have given up on that experiment, but he won't give up on finding us if he knows we're all existing here, right under his nose."

"I'd wager the same." Kyohei returned, before reminding me of another fact. "Let's not forget I only found one piece of evidence. It's possible he might have located any of the others, or maybe not, but we can't know for certain. There could also be more to the experiment than what I discovered. There's a lot we still don't know."

"Do you think he'll hunt us down?" My voice was cautious, and I tried to quell the tremor it held to it, to no avail. Kyohei's eyes softened at hearing the fear in my tone.

"Yes, I won't lie to you about that." He stated truthfully. "But I also think the odds are probably in our favor. If he had known where we were I'm sure he would have taken us ages ago. If my theories are correct it's going to be hard for him to find us. It'll be like finding five needles in a haystack the size of the Burj Khalifa."

That thought gave me a small bout of comfort. But it didn't last for long.

Another thought hit me then.

"The Chuunin exams are right around the corner." My mouth felt dry as I spoke, the idea of that snake infiltrating the village making my insides churn violently. "He'll be here, in the village."

Suddenly, the Burj Khalifa seemed a lot smaller.

"They are. But we have time to prepare, don't worry about that for now." He assured me. "We'll be prepared when he gets here."

Silence stretched between us, until another horrible thought entered my head, one that truly struck fear into my soul.

"Kyohei…the Reanimation Jutsu." My fingers froze on top of Aki's head, the dog forgotten in the meantime. Kyohei caught my gaze, dark eyes unreadable. "I remember that the one who brought the dead back to life had control over their actions. Do you think…?" I stopped, once again unable to finish the horrible thought.

 _Do you think he would be able to control us?_

"We can't know for certain." Was his grudging reply, unhappy with the thought himself. It looked as if he had thought about this already as well. "Let's try not to worry about that for now."

"Easier said than done." I muttered, letting my hand drift towards Aki's ears to give them a proper scratch.

Kyohei laughed, though the sound was strained.

And then, the silence again. Neither of us knowing what to say after such a conversation.

The clock ticking in the background was the only sound between us. I felt as though I wanted to say something, but I wasn't sure what I ought to say. So much had happened, and there was so much to consider.

I glanced up to Kyohei to find that he was already looking to me intently, gaze serious as he took a breath before speaking.

"Listen, Kimari –" He started, not breaking eye contact. "I owe you an apology, a big one. I was a jackass, and I was only thinking of myself. I didn't realize how badly you would be affected by my actions as a civilian."

That took me by surprise.

With everything that had happened, and all the serious conversation we'd been having, I hadn't been expecting his sudden apology.

I reflected on his words a few moments before speaking.

"I know you had good intentions, but that doesn't give you any right to do what you did." I replied, my voice surprisingly level despite the situation. "A few words from you ruined everything I'd worked twenty years to build. Sure, I may have been hiding in fear like a cockroach, but you had no right to decide what was best for me without bothering to even speak to me first. I forgive you, but some things are going to need to change if we're going to be a team."

My words sounded bland, even to me, void of any and all emotion. After all that had happened, which I was doing my best to pretend hadn't, I just didn't have the strength to be angry.

"I'm sorry." He looked up then, and I could tell he truly meant it. "I don't know what it's worth to you, but I know that I was wrong and I'm sorry my actions caused this mess. It wasn't my intention. I understand if you'd rather not go along with my plan to bring you into the Inuzuka household. I thought I was doing the right thing by giving you a better means for survival by making you pack, but I should have spoken to you."

I only shook my head softly. Surprisingly, his apology did mean something to me, probably more than he knew. It was his genuine regret and emotion that let me know I could trust him not to make the same mistake in the future.

And don't get me wrong, I was still put out with him. But enough to never want anything to do with him or the Inuzuka again? Especially after that show of solidarity that had so warmed my heart? Well, I wasn't _that_ mad.

On the contrary, actually. The taste of freedom I'd been given had ignited a sort of avarice inside my heart. I wanted to live free from civilian standards, and Kyohei's plan would give me that freedom I wanted. I wanted family, and his family had already seemed to take that first step to welcome me among them by doing what they had done.

And to do so in public, although heartwarming and kind, had ulterior motives. They would have needed permission from the Matriarch to make such a bold stand in public like that. It was more than just a 'welcome to the family', it was a political movement, a type of formal inclination that I was now under the direct influence and protection of that clan.

They had given a public declaration to both civilian and ninja society that I belonged with them and was not to be messed with.

And to belong to a family? That was something I wanted desperately.

"The opposite, actually. I think that you were right when you said that we were safer together, and your clan stood up for me and showed me what it meant to be part of a family. I want to have a family again." I replied steadily, noting the shock on his features. "I accept the proposal. I'll become an Inuzuka."

"I – uh – really?" He stuttered, looking baffled, as if he had expected the opposite. "You're sure? I mean – uh – I just didn't expect-"

"I have conditions." I replied, tone still much calmer than it ought to have been.

"Of course." He intoned quickly, having gathered his senses again. "Name it and its yours. You have my word."

"First: We will be a team. All our decisions will be made together and be unanimous or there will be no 'us'. You will treat me as an equal and with complete respect, both in public and in private. No more of this 'Alpha dog' business." I demanded, my gaze boring into his.

"Done." He nodded sharply, prompting me to continue.

"Second: I want a private tutor so I can continue and expand my education. Three days a week at the very least."

"You'll have the best one in the village. I'll see to that myself."

I nodded, appeased.

"Third: Our marriage will be in name only. No expectations for anything more between us."

His cheeks flushed lightly as I referenced the marriage, along with the things normally came along with that – intimate things between two partners that I had no real knowledge of or experience with after having been raised traditionally twice in a row. The very thought made me blush a healthy scarlet along with him, but I wanted to make my position clear.

"Of course." He coughed loudly to clear his throat and turned his head to the side in an attempt to hide the evidence of his heated cheeks. "Is there anything else?"

I hummed quietly to myself, pondering what else I could bargain for myself since he was in such a position.

"Yes." I crossed my arms then, my final request clear to me. "I want you to teach me how to defend myself. Show me how to fight."

"To…fight?" He repeated my words slowly back to me, as if such an idea were in and of itself preposterous.

I frowned at his dumbfounded response.

"Is it really an idea so unthinkable?" I crossed my arms across my chest stubbornly. "It's part of the deal, take it or leave it. I'm certain I can find somebody to teach me if you won't."

"No, that's not it." He corrected himself quickly. "I just – why would you want to learn to fight? It's a bit late to be a ninja, you have to start your training young and your tenketsu would need years of development and molding before you could even perform a standard substitution and it's also illegal for me to –"

"Not a kunoichi." I clarified as I once again cut into his response. "Just self-defense, please. I think it would make me feel better. I don't want to be in a position where I feel that helpless ever again-"

My voice broke at the end, and I gasped at air before gulping, shoving those troublesome emotions back down into the place where the truly belonged – out of sight and out of mind. I wasn't ready to deal with them yet.

He seemed to sense the distress, and was quick to appease me.

"I'll teach you." He agreed with a quick nod of his head. "It's a good idea, actually. I wish they taught it to everyone, not just ninja."

I laughed quietly at that one.

"Civilian society would riot if you tried." I said with a small smile. "It's _improper_."

He rolled his eyes at my remark, looking a bit more like the Kyohei I was acquainted with. And for that I was thankful. It felt like he was handling me like a piece of delicate china, as if I could break at any moment.

"Proper and improper, blah blah blah, that's all those old geezers talk about." He huffed, though his tone was playfully exasperated. "I have no idea how you survived so long in civilian society, it's so goddamn uptight-"

"Language!" I tutted with a frown, earning a snort from both Kyohei and Aki at the same time.

"Sorry, sweetheart." He returned, though it was easy to see he didn't look sorry in the slightest. "But if you want to be an Inuzuka you're going to have to get used to it. You think _my_ language is bad? Ha! Wait until you meet Tsume."

I…hadn't thought of that.

He was right though. By marrying into the Inuzuka clan, I would be making a very radical change in my lifestyle. The Inuzuka were wild, both in blood and culture. No societal norms applied to them whatsoever, they lived as they pleased.

I would need to shed my skin in a sense to learn to adapt to their ways. There would be no more lectures on manners, or reprimands on what was appropriate and inappropriate any longer, because those standards would no longer apply to me as an outcast of traditional society – the same way they didn't apply to the Inuzuka.

I had thought that cutting my hair was a big change, but it was only the first step out of many that I would have to take to assimilate myself into their clan.

But I didn't regret this decision. In fact, I found myself very accepting and welcoming of that change. I was no longer a well-groomed dog held tightly leashed with proper and traditional society as my owner. I would have no collar, no leash. I would be my own master, and nobody would dictate my fate to me. I would be free, or at least freer than I had been before.

"I suppose you're right." I voiced in contemplation.

"I think you'll like her though." Kyohei continued. "She's a bit rough around the edges, well, I guess we all are, but I think you'll like them. She'll be wanting to meet you soon, I'm sure."

Another thing I hadn't thought of. And suddenly, I found myself feeling quite nervous.

Kyohei seemed to sense that as well somehow. I was unsure as to how he had become so in-tuned to me, it seemed as though he had become very aware of my emotions recently, which was somewhat strange.

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it." He suggested casually, looking back out towards the sky. The sun was beginning to lower from its zenith in the clouds that lingered after last night's storm, suggesting that the afternoon would soon stretch to evening. "Now, you mentioned wanting to go out for food? I'll take you anywhere you want."

Food, a perfect distraction to all the emotions that kept trying to claw their way out of a crumbling stone exterior. I found I quite liked the idea, the distraction that was much welcome. I agreed immediately.

"Yes, can we? I've been wanting to try this place that sells Okonomiyaki for a while, it's near the docks by the river."

"Takashi's? I've been there, it's good. Do you want to go now?"

"Sure, just let me get dressed." And with that I rose from my seat, soles of my feet prickling after having fallen asleep. "Will you write a note for Naruto in case he gets back before we do? I don't want him to worry."

"No problem."

I gave a small nod as I turned and began to shuffle back towards my room, fingers prodding at my lower lip, amazed at how quickly it was already healing with the special salve.

Kyohei's voice called out one more time before I disappeared from view, prompting me to turn back.

"Kimari?" I turned, but noted that he wasn't meeting my gaze, the dust motes swirling in the air suddenly much more intriguing to him than I was.

I paused, waiting for him to continue his thought.

"Your hair… it – uh, it looks really nice." He mumbled, shifting uncomfortably as he gave the compliment.

I brought my hand up subconsciously to finger one of the short locks, a warm feeling spreading in my chest.

"Thanks." I said happily, the first positive emotion I'd felt since the day before. "I like it too."

I left it at that, shutting the door to allow me my privacy and smiling to myself as I continued to twirl my hair between my fingers with an absent mind.

Because that was easier to do than to give in to the horrible emotions that were still battling beneath my skin, threatening to break through my mask that was already cracking.

.

* * *

.

It was Naruto accidentally dropping her grandfather's clay tea pot that did it.

Kyohei had done his best to make sure that the rest of the day was light hearted for her. He took her to eat. They chatted and strolled casually by the river and watched the sun set from the docks there. He kept her away from where he knew there were civilians eyeing the two of them in blatant disapproval. He brought her to his favorite dango stand on their way back to her apartment.

No mention of the night before, and absolutely nothing that would cause Kimari any more distress, because the distress from the ordeals of the night before and the horrifying information she was now harboring beneath her skin were enough to crack even the toughest façade of a ninja. Aki had walked closely by her the entire time, ready to intervene in a moment's notice if it looked like she was getting ready to break down.

Because both Kyohei and Aki knew it was only a matter of time.

But no, she had only smiled and laughed and chatted as if nothing were wrong. Almost as if he hadn't said a word about them being living experiments by the most twisted man in this universe. As if they hadn't found out he was most likely still looking for them. As if they weren't occupying the bodies of others who had died in them. As if she hadn't been attacked the night before, just narrowly escaping a horrible ordeal.

They came back to find Naruto waiting for them, the boy tense and watching her every move. Kyohei pulled him aside before they followed her into her apartment, whispering a warning to the kid in hushed tones so that he would know not to bring the events up and just let her be. Naruto nodded, even though he remained with a look of subtle uncertainty behind a forced smile for her benefit.

The three of them spent the next few hours playing card games, talking, and drinking cup after cup of steaming green tea. It would have felt like a heartwarming scene if Kyohei and the little Uzumaki hadn't been frightfully aware that the woman in their midst was playing the fool and trying to pretend nothing had happened.

Her smiles were a little too wide, her laugh just a bit too forced, the turmoil in her eyes betraying the convincing act she was putting on. It was all fake, and they both knew it. But they waited patiently, exchanging knowing glances with each other when she was distracted.

But when Naruto stood from the table to grab the clay tea pot to go and brew more genmaicha for the three of them, it finally happened.

The young genin tripped over Aki's tail, sending the old clay pot flying from his hands and crashing into the floor. Kyohei watched it all happen in what felt like slow-motion, as the antique pot collided with the wooden floor to shatter upon the surface, large shards splintering over the ground in a fine mess.

Both men turned simultaneously towards Kimari when she sucked in a shocked breath, her eyes fixed upon the remains of what used to be her tea pot that was now scattered in pieces at Naruto's feet.

"That – that was – that was my grandfather's." She sputtered, bottom lip beginning to quiver.

 _Here it comes._ Kyohei thought to himself, relieved that she was finally beginning to show some genuine emotion. The dam was about to break.

Naruto shifted in surprise when he saw the clear liquid beginning to accumulate in the corners of her eyes.

"I…" She took a deep breath, hiccupping in the middle of it and blinking rapidly. "I really…"

She cut herself off with a shuddering breath and a small whimper.

"I really…" Another small and helpless sound from the back of her throat as her breathing became more shallow and she swallowed, no doubt in an attempt to force the lump in her throat back down.

Naruto was frozen. Aki moved towards her in preparation for what was about to come. She took a deep breath, the tears finally beginning to fall from her eyes while her shoulders trembled.

And then, she broke.

" _I really liked that tea pot!"_ She wailed, dissolving into hysterics.

And that was his signal. He shifted closer to her, guiding her quaking form into his arms. She sobbed with might, clutching at the fabric of the clothing and burying her head into his chest as she heaved and cried. He pat her back awkwardly as she cried.

' _Not your fault.'_ He mouthed silently towards Naruto, who was standing dumbstruck and staring with wide eyes. The boy nodded slowly, looking unsure as to how he ought to proceed, at least until Kyohei motioned him over towards where he was sitting with Kimari and Aki.

The boy didn't need to be told twice, and soon he had his arms around her as well, while she sobbed and clutched at the both of them like her life depended on it.

"It was – it was my – my – my - my grandfather's!" She managed in between sobs, voice muffled by his chest.

"I know." Kyohei breathed, pulling her tighter as he began to feel the wetness of her tears staining through the fabric of his clothing and onto his skin underneath.

"An – an – an heirloom –"

"It was." He agreed quietly.

"And now - now it's – it's broken!"

"I'll buy you a new one." He intoned as Naruto began rubbing cautious and unsure circles on her back.

The dam had cracked alright.

"I was so scared – " She choked out, and it was now quite apparent she was not speaking of the broken tea pot at all. "I thought that – I thought that they were going to –" She hiccupped.

Kyohei found himself once again wishing that he had done much more than break a few fingers.

"Me too, Nee-chan. I got scared too –'ttebayo!" Rushed Naruto, now rubbing her back vigorously with a strained look in his own eyes. "It was a loud crash when I dropped it! Right, Kyohei-nii? Super scary!"

"Right." He nodded dutifully. "Very loud."

It continued for some time, but the two of them held her tight. Eventually, the sobs lessened to cries, then cries to whimpers, and whimpers to an exhausted sleep. Naruto fell asleep not long after, no doubt tired from spending the night pacing her apartment and expending so much chakra after nearly losing control of himself.

No words were spoken as Kyohei repositioned the three of them on the floor, feeling his own eyes droop with exhaustion as well. It wouldn't hurt if he just took a small nap with them, he supposed. His body hadn't properly rested in a few days, perhaps just a little nap wouldn't hurt anything.

But he was soon fast asleep with an arm slung over both Uzumaki and the young woman who had changed everything for him.

The three of them slept peacefully on the floor of her apartment together that night, heads resting upon Aki's stomach as the large dog curled around them to provide their small, strange little family with warmth and much needed comfort for all three.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - Hello to all! Hope everything is going well for you guys. Thank you all for the continuous support and kind words of encouragement :)**

 **Only warning is for Tsume's language.**

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* * *

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I shifted again atop my feet, feeling the courage that I had gathered in my chest swelling as I looked at the sight in front of me.

Today was the day I was trading in my old and battered yukatas for newer clothing, clothing that was sure to draw attention and set me even further apart from the traditional society I had been booted out from.

The store front was enticing, the clothing in the displays lovely and modern, with fitted lines and flattering cuts. Still relatively modest compared to what I had seen of the bikini-wearing Western world in magazines and television while I grew up in Palestine, but modern in the elemental nations for sure.

Suddenly, I felt very out of place standing in front of the store looking the way I did. My traditional yukata, obi, and wooden geta shoes with the simple white socks that accompanied them made me stick out like a sore thumb amidst the displays of glamourous looking clothing that was sure to cost a fortune. This was the only shop within Konoha that sold such things, after all, and was no doubt hand made.

Everything in Konoha was hand made. The concept of 'mass production' had not yet been introduced to these semi-industrialized societies, and clothing was certainly no exception. But things were better that way in my opinion; clothing and machinery lasted longer when it was made by hand instead of on an assembly line.

The clothing itself was interesting; it still held hints of the traditional and eastern-inspired dress that I was well acquainted with here, but it also contained a very modern look to it. Well, modern for this time at least. These styles would have been dubbed 'vintage' in my past life.

It reminded me quite a bit of what fashion in the 1940's looked like, with a-line skirts, classically cut dresses, and simple blouses that accompanied a more traditional style of monpe pants. Nothing was sold that was above the knee, and I was reminded of pictures from my high school history book of what the women in post World War II Japan and China had looked like.

An interesting mix of fashion indeed. Then again, Konoha itself was an interesting mix of culture that was inherently Japanese but still mixed with other foreign elements, elements that were unique to this universe alone.

I shifted on my feet again, glancing down self-consciously at the worn fabrics that adorned my body.

I had grown used to the yukatas, even if they could be a bit of a pain. Even so, I couldn't deny that the displays in the window were eye-catching. I found myself wishing that Machiko could have been here with me. She had more of a taste for clothing and general fashion than I did, and she would no doubt complain that she was not able to accompany me today.

But I wasn't alone, and I was grateful for it. I might have chickened out if Kyohei hadn't tagged along.

The days had melded into weeks since the night Naruto saved me from those two thugs. A month had passed since that horrible night, and as with all things, time made internal and external wounds harder to notice, even if some remained on both fronts.

And with Kyohei, Naruto, and people like Machiko as a support system, I was healing and growing more confident in myself.

I was becoming stronger than I ever had been, bit by bit. The change was slow, but it was there, I could feel it within me. I was getting bolder, stronger, and less easily frightened. No doubt the change had come from having Naruto in my life, he had a way of inspiring those around him towards greater levels of fortitude when he stopped goofing off for once. I had a feeling Kyohei had something to do with it was well. I was more willing to speak my mind these days, less docile and less of a push-over.

Kyohei was here today, after having been sent on another scouting mission that lasted only a few days when the leads they had followed turned out to be a dead end. The mission had been terminated and he had returned home early to help assess village security in preparation for the Chuunin Exams, which were set to take place in two months' time. But today, our planning and stressful discussions regarding the upcoming events had been put on hold, and I was glad for it.

Kyohei was back, and we had made the decision together to begin our more in-depth discussion of the Chuunin Exams that were looming on the horizon for another day. We had two months to come up with a suitable plan of action, and we had decided to use today as a de-stresser, which was something we both needed. I was glad for his company today, as well as a day free from the nervous anxiety that took hold over my heart when we spoke of Orochimaru.

My relationship with Kyohei had taken a turn for the better over the last month or so. After we had spoken in depth about my expectations from him in regards to our relationship, our friendship had only become stronger, and I found that I genuinely enjoyed spending time with him.

The four of us now ate dinner together at my apartment on a regular basis. Him, Naruto, Aki and I. Like a little dysfunctional family of sorts, and I treasured the time we spent together.

It reminded me of what I'd lost by being brought to this world, and left me with a sense of both joy and melancholy in tandem: the heartbreak that came with the reminder of the loss of my family and homeland, and the joy of the family that I found here.

My heart broke anew each morning I awoke without my family, even after twenty years it seemed the pain was still fresh, the scars never healing. But I'd found something wonderful here now, with Naruto and Kyohei, and I could only pray that they would not be taken from me as well. I wasn't sure I would be able to bear losing my family twice in a row.

"You don't have to do this if you're still unsure, you know." I heard Kyohei's voice from behind me, snapping me from my internal reverie and catapulting me back to the here and now. "Sure, the whole kimono thing is a bit outdated, but if you're comfortable in that then I don't see the harm in it."

 _How many times do I have to tell him that this isn't a kimono?_

"I know. And I wear a yukata, not a kimono." I returned, my voice hushed as I continued to stare in fascination at the clothing in the window. "But I've decided that I'm breaking from the traditions. They don't own me anymore, I don't have to follow their rules. I want people to know that."

"Then why are you hesitating?" He prompted, though his tone was more curious than anything of the accusatory nature.

His question was certainly food for thought.

I wasn't sure. Why _was_ I hesitating?

 _It's just clothes. What's the big deal?_

But if I truly thought about it, it was so much more than 'just clothes'. It was a statement, a radical one to the society I had grown up in. It would be the equivalent of giving the traditional civilians of Konoha the middle finger. The pockets of men and women who actually wore the clothes that were in the expensive glass displays of this shop were numbered very few.

Even so, they existed, and I would soon be one of them. What was more, I _wanted_ to be one of them. As it stood in any society, clothing oftentimes was a reliable indicator of your social class or background. The rich wore flashy brand names and quality fabrics, while the poor settled for hand-me-downs.

And just like any society, no matter the universe, Konoha was much the same. My old yukatas with sun-faded colors showed exactly which social class I belonged to: civilian, traditional, and dirt poor.

But times were changing here, and so was I.

"I'm ready. You're sure you want to go shopping with me?" I asked him once again, still surprised that he would have the patience for such an activity. "You don't have more interesting things to do?"

He snorted at that.

"Sure I do. I'm just here to annoy you." He concluded, and I didn't need to turn around to see the smirk on his face. I could hear it in his tone.

"Lucky me." I muttered back in sarcasm, before rolling my shoulders back, lifting up my head a bit higher, and pushing forward the glass door to step into the clothing shop.

A silver bell above the door tinkled lightly as I stepped in with Kyohei following after me, alerting the shop owner of a new customer.

"Welcome to Sumi's!" The young woman paused at her sewing machine behind the counter to stand up when she saw us, calling out a neutral greeting.

I gave a small bow as she rounded her counter to meet me. She looked to be not much older than I was, perhaps around Machi's age, and her tongue carried an accent I hadn't heard before. She was quite fashionable, wearing what I could only assume to be the latest trends and sporting a short and sleek haircut that held a slight tinge of blue to it.

"I'm Maeda Sumi, how can I help you?" She asked when I had straightened and she gave a small bow as well.

"Sasaki Mari, pleased to meet you." I smiled, which she returned, flashing a dazzling and toothy smile back at me. "I'm here because…"

I stopped, cutting myself off in thought. I wasn't very familiar with her, and I didn't want to give a long spiel about the injustices of traditional civilian society that I was sure she was already aware of.

Kyohei answered for me when I failed to find a response.

"She's rebelling against society, so let's give those old farts something to talk about. Neh, Maeda-san?" He called casually as he meandered through the different displays of hand-sewn clothing.

Sumi arched a perfectly groomed brow at him before looking back to me, a slow smile creeping across her face.

"Is that so, Sasaki-san?" The grin spread wider, mischievous as she flashed her pearly teeth again. "Then you've come to the right woman!"

I hardly had time to think before she was pulling me into a back room behind her sewing counter, slamming the door behind her. The last image of Kyohei I saw was one of him looking immensely amused before the door cut him off from my vision.

The room she had pulled us into had heaps of finished and unfinished clothing, sewing supplies, and strips of random fabrics strewn about. It was complete chaos, but as she dug through the mess it became clear to me that she knew where every item was.

"Pardon the mess, but organization squanders my creativity." She chuckled as she pulled a few pieces of clothing from a rack of her finished pieces and tossed them onto a stool that stood next to me. "Now, off with that old rag, let's get started!"

"Pardon?"

"That yukata's got to be at least a decade old. You look like my Obaa-chan." She sniffed lightly in mock condescension. "Come now, out with the old and in with the new!"

I glanced down at the mossy green yukata I was wearing, it had been 'Jii-san's favorite.

But she was right, it was over a decade old, maybe even two. The colors were faded from time spent in the sun and wear and tear over the years, just like the rest of my wardrobe. The once spritely spring green had faded in the years I had owned it. And even then, I had received it as a hand-me-down from Machi's mother a few months before she died. Machi had always been a tall girl, and her mother had given me the old yukatas that her daughter had grown too tall to use.

Growing up poor during the war with Suna, we never bought new clothes, we just recycled them throughout the community. Even when my socks wore a hole in them, I was taught to be resourceful and learn how to create the tiny stitches with a needle to knit the hole back together. Every piece of food, fabric, or any raw material was never thrown away, it was saved and repurposed, which was something that I was accustomed to.

I had lived much the same in Gaza as well. With the blockades that limited access to foreign trade and good consumption, meaning that little to nothing came in or out of our indirectly-occupied territory, we just recycled old fabrics and sewed our own clothing. Clothes were handed down, and fabrics exchanged between households.

It was common to only have three or four outfits to wear, and nearly every woman I grew up around knew how to turn something old into something new with just a needle and some thread. My mother had taught my sisters and I to do the same. Fabric and other goods, even a piece of thread, was precious and considered a luxury to be had in the poorer neighborhoods I had grown up in.

My two other sisters and I had only one wardrobe in our shared room that consisted of just a few outfits and different headscarves that we traded between ourselves day to day since we three had been around the same size. I had rarely owned a piece of clothing that had not belonged to someone else first, both in this life and the last.

The only reason I wasn't being stingy and sewing my own clothes with repurposed fabrics this time around was because Kyohei had insisted that I have something new and nice for a change as a gift from him. He called it an 'engagement present' but I knew it was because he still felt guilty about causing me so much strife.

Kyohei was brash and had an abrasive personality, he often struggled with how to word his sentiments and usually ended up saying things he didn't mean or just blundering his words altogether whenever he talked about feelings or emotions. His kindness was rarely shown through his words, that idea was laughable, but rather through his actions.

And he seemed to really want to do this for me, so I didn't argue when he accompanied me this morning.

Sumi studied me intently as I disrobed in front of her, carefully folding my yukata and under slip before setting it on top of a messy table. She gazed intently at the small curves of my body, and I would have felt uncomfortable if she wasn't eyeing me with the eyes of a seamstress.

She was professional as she circled me, calculating size and thinking about fabrics the way I had once seen my mother do before sewing a new abaya or jilbab for my sisters and I to share.

"What kind of look are you going for?" She questioned as she stepped back to let her eyes flick between my body and the different articles of clothing she had picked out. "Brunette Bombshell? No, that wouldn't work, you haven't got the cleavage."

I glanced down at my chest, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Maybe 'Capitol City Chic'? How about 'Tastefully Modern'?"

I hadn't really thought that far ahead. I wasn't even sure what any of that entailed.

"Oh, I wouldn't know. I'm not very well versed in modern fashion." I gave a small laugh with my answer. "I prefer simple clothing, though." I added as an afterthought.

She hummed, the amused sound seeming to know more than she let on.

"Trust me, love, I gathered as much." I laughed along with her comment, not offended in the slightest. Everything she had said so far was spot-on. "Simple, huh? I can work with that."

And work she did. Time flew as she dressed me up and down, over and over and over again until I had selected a few pieces that I liked and she had approved of.

After I had selected a few items and she had packaged them in paper for me, I discarded the Yukata as she had instructed me, and dressed myself instead in some of the clothing she handed me. I smiled as I took them from her and quickly re-dressed myself.

But as I turned back towards the mirror, I overestimated the amount of space I had in her cramped and crowded back room, and accidentally knocked over a small briefcase that had been on top of a nearby work table. The file holder fell, impacting with the floor and bursting open to allow its papers to scatter at my feet.

I felt my cheeks heat in embarrassment.

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!" I rushed as I dropped to my feet to help collect the files I had made a mess of, ignoring her plea for me to wait, to leave them be for her to clean up. "Here let me help you with –"

I stopped, cutting myself short when I saw just what type of papers they were.

She swooped in then, snatching them from my hands and shoving them unceremoniously back inside the briefcase before snapping it shut and quickly placing it back on top of the table.

"Those documents belong to my family, I assure you it's not what you think." She said slowly, and it was quite still between us in that moment, as I stood to meet her eyes.

But that was a lie. The last names on the documents didn't match her own. The pictures of the people on the documents did not show any familial similarities either.

She tried again when she realized I had gotten a better look at the papers than she thought, enough to know she was lying.

"Look, I don't know what you think you saw, but –"

"Nothing." I interrupted her quietly, meeting her gaze with a strong look. "I didn't see anything. Because something like that would be enough to get you executed for treason. And it would put any of your customers under suspicion as well, which includes me too."

She swallowed harshly, looking to the side and taking a deep breath.

"My family was part of the resistance in Kiri that wanted to overthrow the Kage. I was the only one who made it out alive when we fled to Wave. I got good at making papers and documents, and now I'm helping the others get out too. I'm not a threat to Konoha, I'm just helping members of the resistance smuggle their children out before it's too late!"

"I didn't see anything, Maeda-san." I repeated, whispering harshly to her now. "But you should be careful. Constructing false identities and travel papers is a serious crime. I won't say anything, but the next person to see these might not be as forgiving."

She nodded, eyes thanking me for my discretion even though she said nothing.

Within minutes I was ushered out of that back room wearing new clothing and carrying an armful of a few articles of clothing that I had picked out. I was wearing a cream-colored dress I had gawked at in the window earlier as I exited her back storage room, which apparently also doubled as a front for black market travel papers and false identities.

But it was not my job to ask questions. And I certainly couldn't afford any more attention to Kyohei and I than what we already had. If we were brought under suspicion for being customers of a black market document maker who had been involved in a plot to overthrow the current, bloodthirsty Kage of Kiri..?

Yeah, that wouldn't exactly be the type of attention we wanted. So, I chose to see nothing in that instance, and resolved to steer clear of her in the future.

I caught Kyohei's eye as I exited, and the solemn look he sported was enough for me to concur that he had probably heard every word we had exchanged with that enhanced hearing of his. I quirked an eyebrow at him, subtly nodding in the direction of Sumi, who had returned to her sewing counter, as if to ask if we ought to just leave. But he only gave a subtle shake of his head and moved towards the counter, which told me that we would speak of it later when it was safer. He didn't seem to think she was much of a threat, so I joined him at the counter.

In my hands I held two new blouses – one of the kimono style and one of the buttoned-up style, a pair of the loose monpe pants, and two plain looking skirts that hit around the knee or lower.

Not anything particularly bold in color, but not the faded colors and fabrics that my wardrobe of yukatas consisted of. Plain and simple, exactly as I'd asked for.

"That's all?" He questioned when I positioned myself at his side, surprised by my meager pickings.

"It's all I really need." I returned quickly. "I like to keep things simple."

He only shrugged his shoulders at my decision and moved towards the counter where Sumi was waiting. But when she told him the price of what I had picked I balked.

It was about the same as my earned income for the entire month from the produce stand.

I panicked when Kyohei simply nodded at the price and pulled out his wallet from an interior pocket of his black jacket, unfazed by the numbers she had quoted him.

"Wait!" I called, rushing to the counter and rifling frantically through the clothing. "I don't need two skirts! Who needs two of the same thing? Not me! And this top, it's far too nice for day-to-day wear, impractical really for someone like me. And these pants are great but I'm sure I'll be fine without them, so we'll just take what I'm wearing and be on our way-"

Kyohei interrupted my flustered rambling, voice level and teeming with amusement as he spoke.

"We'll take it all." He countered with a small chuckle. "And throw in some socks as well, she needs 'em."

I fell back, watching wordlessly with wide eyes as he just handed the wad of cash over to Sumi, who nodded with a fake smile as she added some new socks for my geta sandals.

 _Just how rich is this guy? Who carries that much cash on themselves?!_

I followed him out the store in a dumbfounded state, waiting for a minute or so before I spoke. At the sound of my voice he cut off his catchy whistling and turned his head to me.

"You didn't have to do that. These clothes are too expensive, we should return them." I stated, tone firm with conviction as I pondered upon the quality fabrics and hefty price tags that accompanied them. I hadn't realized it would cost as much as it had.

"Huh? No way, you really needed new clothes, it's no big deal." He returned in surprise, as if he had no concern for price at all. Perhaps he didn't. "These prices are pretty reasonable, actually."

"But they were so expensive!" I argued, looking pointedly towards the bags of clothing he was carrying for me.

"Don't worry about that."

"You keep saying that, I don't want you going into debt." I frowned at him, but he only laughed.

"Debt? Ha!" The idea was apparently quite amusing to him. "My mom left me a fortune when she died, and I've never spent much of my earnings from my missions. And trust me, they pay us a pretty penny in my line of work. I've had all this money sitting untouched in my account for years, just collecting dust."

"But-" I tried again, my last feeble attempt.

"Look, don't worry about it. It's nice to have somebody to spend it on." He continued, not bothered at all on the subject of money. "It's my pleasure, really. And you did need the clothes, you can't deny it."

I couldn't deny it.

Perhaps it was better to just accept his generosity instead of arguing him on it.

"Fine. No more lavish expenses though." He only nodded casually, accepting my demand. "Thank you." I added, almost as an afterthought, not wanting to sound ungrateful.

"It's fine, don't worry about it! You're acting like I bought you a daimyo's palace or something. Which one do you think you'll wear to meet my family tomorrow?"

My stomach flipped.

"Ah, I almost forgot about that." I said, even though that was a lie.

I would be meeting Tsume tomorrow, and I wasn't sure I was ready for that encounter yet. From the stories Kyohei told, she sounded completely awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time.

We had picked tomorrow as the date, and I would be joining them at the Inuzuka compound for a family dinner between him, the matriarch, Hana, Kiba, and all their ninken as well. And the subject of our 'union' would most likely be the topic of the evening.

It was something that couldn't be avoided, however. I was marrying into his family, after all. And it wasn't as if I wouldn't be seeing them. We'd be living close by when I moved to the Inuzuka compound, they would soon become part of my daily life.

Well, that is if Tsume accepted me.

And that made me nervous, just due to the fact that I didn't really know what to expect, no matter how I might pretend that I wasn't.

"Liar. You've been antsy for the last week since we set the date. I felt it through the link."

Ah, of course. _The link_.

I kept forgetting about the link, no matter how many times I was reminded of it. I was still growing accustomed to it. At first I had trouble believing it. It sounded like some strange sci-fi telekinesis that shouldn't have been capable between humans. But it was, and I was only getting better with it.

I had discovered it on my own, without Kyohei's help.

Kyohei had informed me of that strange emotional link and bond we now shared a few days after my attack, when I had begun to become confused at feeling angry and guilty emotions that were not my own coursing through my veins. It came as a large shock to learn that they were not mine, but in fact Kyohei's emotions.

He finally admitted it to me then with a guilty look and profuse apologies, and explained that he had performed that jutsu the night I had been so sick, which was long before we had our little talk about consent and boundaries.

He still got the shoe, though, and I didn't hold anything back. I understood that he had created the link with the intention of keeping me safe, but it hadn't mattered in that moment. He'd been complaining of a sandal-shaped bruise on his rear end for weeks now. Yet, somehow, I failed to find it within myself to feel sorry for him.

I had been startled at first, until he explained that he wasn't able to read my thoughts like I had originally thought, apparently it didn't work that way. You could project your thoughts through the link, but only what thoughts you wanted to share. The emotions were harder to control, but Kyohei had been training me so that I would get better control over it.

Though I couldn't deny that the idea of one day being able to communicate telepathically with him, like he did with Aki, sounded pretty darn cool.

But that trait, which seemed more like some freaky super power than what resulted from his clan's jutsu, wouldn't become apparent to me for a while longer. My meager chakra reserves and inability to sense made it a challenge for me. He had assured me that the strange telepathy that the bonded Inuzuka shared with their mates and ninken would come in time, and that it was just a slower process for me because I was not a kunoichi.

Kyohei seemed sure I'd have it down within a month if I kept meditating like he had instructed me.

But all in all, I had come to be glad for and to appreciate our link. It made things easier. I no longer had to explain my emotions to him, nor him to me. It allowed us to understand each other on a deeper and more intimate level, which helped us to strengthen our friendship immensely. It also made communicating when we argued a lot easier, because it was often that Kyohei had trouble expressing what he felt. Overall, the pros far outweighed the cons.

I felt his amusement over our link at him catching me in a small lie.

"I'm not _that_ worried." I returned, jutting my chin out in an air of superiority that was just for show.

"You keep telling yourself that, sweetheart."

I rolled my eyes at his comment, taking the arm that he offered me as we continued down the busy street, both of us garnering much attention.

I held my head high as we walked, the fabric of my new dress swishing gently against my calves and my hair tickling my neck and brushing lightly on my shoulder blades from the cool breeze of an autumn wind.

Some ninja who recognized Kyohei gave a smile or a wave, which we both returned. The civilians who recognized me only ogled at us with mouths agape, stunned at the clothing and open display of affection that our looped arms brought.

"About Sumi…" I started quietly after we had walked for some time, making sure to keep my voice lowered as we traversed.

"She's not the only one in that business." He replied aloofly, not saying anything too revealing since our conversation was not protected by privacy seals. " _The Teacher_ knows about most of them and is choosing not to turn a blind eye. He hasn't told the _Principal_ yet, because the influx of new _students_ is helping our economy and weakening others. It's a political move."

I nodded as I translated the hidden meaning in his reply.

 _The Teacher –_ A euphemism we used in public when referring to the Hokage. _The Principal_ referred to the Council, and I could only assume that _The Students_ he had mentioned were the illegal refugees from Kiri that Sumi was helping to smuggle here with false documents.

I supposed it made sense if I thought about it. People like Sumi were people who had a trade, people who boosted and added to the economy of where they lived. Bringing in a few refugees to live and work here under the radar of the council not only helped our economy to prosper, but it sent a strong taunt to villages like Kiri, where people like Sumi were resisting the authority or fleeing from, only to find a safe haven in the arms of their enemies.

And by choosing to turn a blind eye to the refugees living here under false documents, the Hokage didn't have to go through the council or ask their permission to let them stay. They were most likely being watched to make sure they weren't engaging in anything harmful to the village or trading secrets back to Kiri. But the real insult was that the Mizukage most likely knew where his subjects were defecting to, and he also probably knew that the Hokage was allowing them to stay here and pretending not to know where they came from. And he couldn't get them back, they were untouchable inside the walls of Konoha, safe from his rule.

In essence, it was a giant middle finger to Kiri, a political message of superiority.

"I see." I answered with a slow nod, the implications coming together in my mind. "So she's safe, then?"

There sure was a lot more to politics here than the show or manga had ever showed us, and I found that I was learning more about the depth of this world with every minute that I was here.

"She'll be fine." He assured me fully. "Now, we've got bigger things to focus on. I'm giving you a pop quiz on the history of the Inuzuka clan when we get back. If you pass I'll buy you some anpan from that bakery you're always drooling in front of."

"A quiz? Seriously?" I groaned as I trudged forward, a pout on my lips. "And I do not drool, thank you very much. That's quite unladylike!"

.

* * *

.

Inuzuka Tsume was a woman who did not care to be left waiting.

And that damn brat of hers was once again keeping her waiting. She ought to have cast him out when her sister got herself killed and left Tsume to pick up the pieces and inherit the clan, along with her son.

She really ought to have let the wolves raise him, it would have saved her the trouble. Inuzuka Kyohei was one that caused trouble wherever he went, just like his mother had. She was positive that his mother would have been proud of the little shit he'd grown up to be if she could see him now.

There were times she was certain that her sister, Hanae, was laughing at her from the grave.

But she had always had a soft spot for the little runt. Although, she supposed she couldn't really call him a runt any longer. Kyohei had grown into a young man years ago, with a tall and muscular build and the same shaggy hair that most Inuzuka sported, although he had taken to wearing it cropped shorter than most men of their clan wore it in recent years. Hanae had worn her hair quite short as well, and the similarities between the two were all the more prevalent because of it.

Hanae had died when he was four, and Tsume had responded by immediately adopting him as her own. It was the least she could do. Tsume and Hanae had been inseparable, even into adulthood. The matriarch had even named her daughter, Hana, after the elder sister she so cherished. So, it was only natural that Kyohei would be taken in to her household.

Kyohei was a strange one, always had been and always would be. The brat had always been smart, and keenly intuitive to a point where Tsume could only wonder if he had some Nara blood in him. It was a possibility, she supposed. Hanae had never taken a mate, but that didn't mean she hadn't had her little indiscretions on the side. She'd never known who the father was, nor had she cared.

It was his intelligence that had most likely gotten him scouted and plucked up and out of his genin team at such a young age. He'd only been on a genin team for a few months before receiving a field promotion and shoved into the ANBU ranks. But Kyohei excelled there and had grown exponentially, he was one of the best their clan had to offer, and he had quickly risen through the ranks to become one of the more successful team captains that ANBU had seen.

She was damn proud of him, she was proud of all her pups.

But Kyohei was an Inuzuka through and through, wild and brazen like the rest of them, even if they didn't know who his father was. In the end, it didn't matter who had gotten Hanae knocked up. The Inuzuka didn't have a stick up their ass when it came to lineage and pureness of blood like most other clans did. Kyohei had earned his tattoos and lived up to the family name, and that was all that mattered in the eyes of the clan.

Well, _most of the time_ he lived up to the family name. There were times where Kyohei pushed the limit, though Tsume was sure he always knew exactly what he was doing, she could see it in his eyes. The problem was that Kiba mimicked his behavior, forever looking up to his older brother, the bad egg.

Tsume would swear at times that Hana was the only sensible one out of the lot. But even Hana adored her older brother; the two had a close relationship growing up, one that they still maintained in adulthood as well.

But all in all, Tsume loved Kyohei. But she'd be damned if he ever heard her say it out loud. In fact, she'd never uttered those words to any of her pups, not wanting to coddle them too much.

She loved him like he was from her own womb, but she was going to wring his neck for making her wait, especially after all the time that Hana had spent preparing the food. Little brat was probably doing it on purpose. That little punk knew just how to push everyone's buttons, and push them he did.

Tsume let out a low growl when she caught the first whiff of them, the scent slowly growing stronger until Kiba picked up on it as well, his little nose twitching in the air.

"She smells like the meadow in the morning." Hana commented lightly before her nose wrinkled in disgust. "Kyohei-nii didn't shower today, don't know why I expected he would."

"About damn time." Grumbled Kiba, who was lounging at their chabudai table, eyeing one of the yakitori platters with interest as he sat up.

Akamaru grunted and rolled over, mimicking Kiba's actions.

The Haimaru brothers shifted their attention at the sound of Kyohei's nearly silent steps, and the delicate clicking of wooden sandals that had to belong to his chosen mate. And the only reason they could hear Kyohei in that moment was because he no doubt wanted to be heard.

Tsume had never met another shinobi better suited for the type of work he did than her sisters brat. Deadly, silent, and strong – he'd have been the model ninja if he wasn't such a bonehead.

Her inner musings were cut short when the door slid open.

"Tadaima." Her adopted son called out leisurely, kicking his sandals off without a care and giving a casual wave to them.

Tsume did not answer with an 'okaeri'. She never had. Most likely never would. But Kyohei still said it every time he entered her house.

Instead, she took in her first glance of the girl that her son had chosen as a mate, scrutinizing every detail of the petite young woman.

The young woman gave an apprehensive smile and a nod, forgoing the more traditional bow of introduction, which made Tsume sure that the girl was well aware that the Inuzuka clan had no taste or care for such formalities. Bowing to one another was a sign of weakness among their clan, an acknowledgement of submission and cowardice. They didn't even bow to their elders, but it looked like the girl already knew that. She had done her research it seemed.

"I am Sasaki Mari."

The introduction was simple and curt, and she wasted no time with the formalities and polite discourse that Tsume despised. She was sure that Kyohei had already warned his woman of that beforehand. Pleasantries were for simple folk and politically correct ass-kissers, a waste of time.

Tsume nodded in return, and gestured them towards the table. The matriarch didn't miss how her thin little fingers twitched slightly, a sign of nervousness she was obviously trying to hide.

 _So, this is the girl._

The young woman locked eyes with the matriarch, obsidian orbs smoldering into the honey colored ones on the doorstep.

Sasaki Mari was bird-like, with delicate looking limbs and pale skin. She fit the meaning of her last name well. The Sasaki surname was most commonly associated with the wren, a dainty little song bird with a sweet sound that annoyed Tsume with its cheerful chirping. Mari meant 'truth', which gave away that she had been born into the lower class. Her name, like most, indicated who she was and what social circles she had been born into.

It was quite often that the more traditional lower-class and poor citizens of the Fire Country named their children after virtues they hoped that the infants would one day embody. Those poorer citizens knew that it was bad luck to name children after things they most likely would never have, and rarely named their offspring after things such as 'luck', 'fortune', or 'wealth' as a result. Instead, many of the lower-class citizens selected names with meanings like 'chastity', 'obedience', 'truth', or 'virtue' in the hopes that their afterlife in the spirit world might be more prosperous than their current ones.

She stood straight, with proper posture and impeccable poise despite being quite a bit shorter than Kyohei. She carried herself as if she were much taller than she actually was.

Tsume figured she had most likely been groomed to be a proper young woman by the way she held herself. Shit like that was ingrained into one's posture. The way a person stood told their entire life story, and Tsume could read hers clearly.

Born to a lower-class family, bred into a proper young lady in the hopes of having her marry above her station, long hours of labor to make ends meet that her calloused fingers and rigid posture gave away - it all showed in her stance.

Hard work was something Tsume could appreciate at least, and she was satisfied that Kyohei hadn't chosen some rich and stuck-up civilian girl who wouldn't be able to handle the work and expectations of the day-to-day life of a civilian clanswoman. The Inuzuka women worked hard, whether as a ninja or as a civilian, they shed their blood, sweat, and tears to make sure that the clan remained strong and thriving. With a background like hers, she would transition easily, at least to the work.

The older woman sniffed at the air in the room, noting that Hana had been correct. She did have a fresh scent to her, something like dew on the grass in the early morning or the first hints of spring in the air as opposed to Kyohei's musky and outdoorsy scent.

But that wasn't what Tsume was smelling for.

Her concerns were put to rest when she ruled out what her original assumption had been when her bonehead of a son announced to the entire village that he had chosen Sasaki Mari as a mate. The last thing they needed was another Inuzuka bastard pup running around the village, which had been her suspicion until now.

Tsume could clearly smell that she wasn't pregnant up with an illegitimate pup, so she could only wonder as to how somebody as plain as her could have caught Kyohei's attention.

Her gaze shifted when the woman spoke again after Tsume failed to reply to her earlier statement.

"Thank you for inviting us for dinner, although I hope you can forgive our tardiness." She sent a side glance at Kyohei before looking Tsume right back in the eye with a smile that looked about as sly as a fox. "Kyohei had some bathroom business to attend to."

Kiba's mouth fell open and Hana snorted aloud. Kyohei sputtered at her, his face turning red in embarrassment.

"Nii-san is full of crap in more than one way!" Kiba voiced happily with a trademark Inuzuka smirk that told just how much he was enjoying himself already.

"That's true." Hana agreed quickly, tone also bordering laughter. "He always used to hog the bathroom in the mornings when he lived with us, we'd have to air the house out afterwards."

"What?!" Kyohei staggered back before looking towards Kiba, who had exploded into laughter. He quickly turned a flabbergasted gaze back to his self-proclaimed lover. "That's not true! We were late because you _just_ _had_ to stop to say hello to-"

 _Guess she isn't as docile as she seems. Looks like she still hasn't quite forgiven him for his little stunts either. Good, Kyohei needs a woman who can knock some sense into that thick, air-headed skull of his._

Tsume drowned out the sound of the argument that had developed on her doorstep, and how Hana and Kiba had joined in poking fun at their older brother.

The matriarch remained uncharacteristically quiet for some time as they took their places around the lowered table and began to eat and converse. Hana stole glances at her, but Tsume did not meet them. She was too busy watching the petite young woman seated across from her and sandwiched between her oldest son and Kiba.

They all seemed to get along well, and although it was frightfully easy for Tsume to discern that Mari was nervous, she seemed to fit in well with Hana and Kiba. It became clear after the first fifteen minutes of discourse that Hana and Mari had taken quite a shine to each other.

She listened as Hana asked how they met and how they had decided to take things to the next level, and they both gave what looked to be a well-practiced and genuine response, laughing lightly throughout a tale that seemed quite normal. _Too normal_.

But if she were being honest with herself, Tsume didn't really give a flying flip about how or why they had gotten together. That was low on her list of prioritized information to glean from this meeting.

Just as Mari was reaching for her cup, Tsume spoke, her gravelly voice raising a stark question.

The interrogation had begun.

"So, just how poor are you, Mari-chan?"

All conversation died down immediately. Her hand froze above her cup, eyes widening drastically at the invasive question.

"I – excuse me?" She returned, obviously flustered at the question posed.

Hana sent her mother a look of disapproval, a look that was steadily ignored. Tsume asked again.

"My clan members tell me you run a vegetable stand at the market. I doubt it brings in very much. I'm sure it's no surprise that Kyohei could very well inherit leadership of this clan one day if he outlives Hana. That would make you one of the wealthiest women in the village. So, how poor are you?"

It wasn't that she cared about her financial situation. Sasaki Mari could have been the richest or the poorest woman in the world and it still wouldn't have made any difference to Tsume. But there were certain things she certainly needed to test the young woman for, and this was one of them.

"This is ridiculous, Kaa-chan." Kyohei scowled as he leaned forward. "Kimari isn't some gold digger. What does it matter if –"

The girl shifted, reaching for his thigh and giving it a small pat. Kyohei stilled at the action, seeming to acknowledge that she wished to speak for herself. What surprised Tsume even more was that he quieted immediately at her request, displaying a level of care and consideration for another that she hadn't seen in him before outside of their home.

Sasaki Mari, or 'Kimari', as it seemed many called her, let her hand fall back to her lap before meeting the gaze of the matriarch. And when she spoke, her words were strong, even if there was a slight tremor to her tone.

"I'm poor in worldly substances, yes, but I'm sure we can agree that there are many more important things than that." Her tone contained the hint of a challenge to it, one that showed she was ready to defend herself and her honor, even if it meant standing up against a clan matriarch.

"Name a few." Tsume demanded, to which she responded immediately.

"Family. Loyalty. Freedom. Truth. Knowledge. The list goes on, as I'm sure you are already aware."

A good answer, and she could tell it was not a lie. They may have lied about how they came to the decision to become each other's mates, but she was certainly not lying about this.

But it meant much more than just honesty to be an Inuzuka, and now would begin Tsume's test.

Many believed that the Inuzuka were akin to wild dogs that had no control over emotion or the more carnal side of mankind. But those spectators were wrong, dead wrong. They could be just as cunning as any Nara, and just as powerful a fighter as any Uchiha or Hyuuga. They were not just brazen foot-soldiers, their clan amounted to so much more than that.

And if she was to be the mate of a potential heir, she would need to prove herself worthy of the Inuzuka name. The questions she would soon be asked were riddles, ones that had been used by their family for generations as a process for allowing people into their clan. If their answers were satisfactory, they would be given the Inuzuka name and a chance to earn their tattoos.

Money, status, and manners had no place with them – any mate of a future leader would need to be quick of wit, resourceful, and strong-hearted. The clan thrived if led by such people. If Sasaki Mari passed her test by exhibiting these properties, she would become an Inuzuka.

Tsume began.

"What is more important to you: beauty or skill?"

Her three children had fallen silent, having realized that Tsume held the authority. None dared to speak up, not even Kyohei.

"Skill." She answered after a pause, seeming to know that she was being tested.

"And beauty?" Tsume quickly prompted, not giving Mari much time to gather her thoughts. The more pressure you put on somebody, the more genuine their response was.

"Finds its worth in the eye of the beholder." The girl answered calmly, the tremor in her voice now hardly discernable at all.

It was an answer that Tsume had never before heard. It sounded like a saying or proverb of sorts, but it was one she was unfamiliar with. Another good answer, perhaps she had underestimated Sasaki Mari.

A small silence before Tsume returned with another question.

"Describe life in three words."

It was so silent a pin dropping on the floor might have sounded like a clap of thunder. Kimari was quiet as she reflected. The seconds passed by slowly until she answered.

"Honor, love, and sacrifice."

 _An interesting choice_.

"What is love?" Tsume asked, ignoring how her children were leaning closer as they awaited the explanation to her choices.

Untold emotions swam in her eyes as she answered, a look of grief that was nearly tangible flashing for a brief second before disappearing from view behind amber orbs.

"To love is to suffer."

 _What have you suffered, Sasaki Mari, to give an answer like that? You have seen this world for what it truly is if that is your answer._

"And what is suffering?"

She held Tsume's gaze as she answered the riddle with one of her own making.

"The thin line between sorrow and happiness."

"And what is happiness?" Tsume pressed as they held each other's gaze, electricity seeming to spark between the two women as they came to a point of mutual understanding.

One moment passed, and then another before she gave her answer.

"An illusion."

The clan leader could not argue her answer and the wisdom it held. The ways of the world were cruel, and happiness was fleeting in times like these. But it seemed that the girl was well acquainted with fate and its misfortunes. Her answer held wisdom beyond her years.

Tsume exhaled slowly.

"And what would bring you happiness, Sasaki Mari?"

The final question.

She held the gaze of the matriarch with unwavering eyes, eyes that seemed to soften for a moment as she set her mouth in a hard line, a look of determination on her face.

"A family." She breathed, the admission almost inaudible. That same brief sentiment of heartbreak once again flashed in her eyes.

Kyohei glanced at his mate-to-be, a sad look in his eyes. And it was then that Tsume knew that she had seen suffering, that she had lived it and survived it. And a survivor was one who carried great strength in their heart, even if they might seem weak on the outside.

And strength and purity of heart was what made an Inuzuka an Inuzuka. Sasaki Mari had passed.

Her answers indicated she was a quick girl who had more depth to her than the mild and plain personality that was shown on her exterior. She had a stark worldview that had no doubt been shaped by tragedy. But the fact that she persisted in the face of adversity told Tsume that the girl had one hell of a strong heart, even if the rest of everything there was to Sasaki Mari was quite weak in comparison.

Nearly everything about Mari was weak. She was thin, petite, and was not very muscular at all. From what the clan had dug up about her, even her disposition was weak – she was a girl who was still learning how to stand up for herself, even at twenty years of age, too emotional and easily scared. But her heart was made of iron, of that Tsume was now sure.

With the right molding and a solid push in the right direction, she could excel. She had potential, she just had to realize that herself first.

"An illusion, huh?" Tsume scoffed, even if she couldn't argue with her answer, lightening the previously heavy mood that had fallen around the occupants of the table. "Sounds like some shitty nihilist poetry to me."

 _An illusion is right. Happiness and love comes with a steep price to pay when you lose the people you care for. But you already know that, don't you, Kimari? You aren't the airheaded civilian I thought you were._

Kimari let out a rush of air, her muscles relaxing as she exhaled.

"Perhaps." She answered with a hesitant smile, one that Tsume did not return.

But Tsume did not scowl, and that had to count for something at the very least.

"Geez, Kaa-chan, this isn't T&I, cut it out! You're getting crotchety in your old age!" Kyohei laughed, also seeming to sense the need for comedic relief.

And just like that, the mood was lighter. All three of her kids had a knack for sensing when a joke needed to be made.

"Well?" Prompted Hana, looking pointedly towards her mother with a smile creeping across her face. "Do I get a new sister?"

Tsume smirked, allowing a moment to pass as she let her gaze once again settle on 'Kimari', who seemed to be holding her breath in anticipation. Even Kiba was fidgeting, awaiting the verdict with a hopeful expression.

But Kyohei was motionless, his posture rigid. His eyes were hard as he looked to his adopted mother, gaze seeming to plead with her on their behalf.

 _She will make you a fine mate, my son. Just don't screw this up, you damn bonehead._

Tsume chuckled to herself before looking once more to Mari with a feral grin, canines sharp and gleaming.

"Welcome to the family, Inuzuka Mari."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N – KYOHEI AND KIMARI HAVE A TUMBLR! It's called 'ask-kimari-and-kyohei' and they reblog things they like there. They also take asks and submission so you can get to know them better! So, go say hi!**

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"I think that's just about everything." I huffed, placing my hands on my hips and staring victoriously at the neatly packed belongings that had been organized.

"It had better be." Grumbled Machiko, as she shuffled into the living room carrying the box that held my bedding supplies that we were donating to our local orphanage.

I no longer needed it where I was going. Kyohei and I had spent the better part of these last three days getting his little home ready for us to live there together.

"I can't believe you've roped me in to helping you move twice now." She continued dramatically as she dropped the box with the other things she was taking to the orphanage. "What am I to you, a friend or a pack mule?"

I laughed at that one as I double checked that the donation boxes had been securely taped.

All of my personal belongings had once again been packed and consolidated, and I was ready to move.

There had been no ceremony, no special occasions, and no formal proceedings. But I was a married woman now all the same, ceremony or not.

All it took was Tsume's word and I had been elevated to the official status of Kyohei's wife, or mate, rather. They didn't use the terms 'husband' or 'wife', and they conducted no formal ceremonies to mark a union between two people. All we'd had to do was file a change of name form and sign a marriage certificate together at the records office, and that was it. All Tsume had told us was that we were now bound in spirit, mind, and body, as well as reminding us that it was a serious union – one that was to be treasured and honored.

' _The wolf mates for life.'_ Her words from that evening when we had said our goodbyes still rung in my ears.

But I didn't regret my decision. Even if we were not romantically engaged, I was glad I'd have Kyohei at my side in this life. Even if the marriage was fake, I had somebody I trusted fully, somebody who understood my past and understood me for who I truly was.

And I was content.

It was all quite simple and had happened so fast my head was still spinning from it. Only days ago was the night we had dinner with Tsume and her family, my family now too, and I was already set to move to the compound.

Yamamoto-baa-chan hadn't been happy to lose me as a tenant, but she hadn't argued when Kyohei paid out the rest of my lease in cash. In fact, she hadn't argued at all after seeing him procure the money, in cash, and toss it directly in front of her when we had met with her the week prior to discuss my upcoming move.

But Naruto?

The poor boy had been distraught to learn I was moving to the Inuzuka compound and would no longer be his next-door neighbor. He was still avoiding my gaze, still wallowing. I had assured him that nothing would change between us, but he just wouldn't listen.

I felt certain he was convinced I was leaving him behind now, just as everyone else had. He most likely thought that he would now go back to being all alone again, unloved and cast aside.

What a silly thing to think. Didn't he know he had me wrapped around his little finger?

This was why I had persuaded Kyohei into setting up a bed and night table in the spare room of his small house in the compound. The room was a gift to Naruto, so that he could come and spend as much time as he pleased with us, or even spend the night if he so chose. Tsume had granted her permission to have him as a guest from time-to-time, and we had decorated his guest room and stocked it with all the cup ramen he could ever want. He couldn't stay over all the time, just for political reasons, but I was hoping it would be enough to cheer him up.

But he didn't know that yet. I couldn't wait to see the look on his face when we revealed the surprise.

Even now, as Kyohei was teaching him the fuinjutsu seals inside the carrier scroll to seal away my luggage and transport it somewhere else, I could see the pain in his eyes that he was trying to hide behind a smile that fooled no one.

"And see here?" Kyohei murmured to the blonde boy, carefully guiding the smaller hand that held the inkbrush above the scroll. "We're going to make a small stroke right here - yeah that's it, good job. That's what connects these two pathways together and lets the chakra flow freely throughout the seal."

"Eh? Really?" Naruto responded with an excited question, before turning his gaze back towards the seal that Kyohei had helped him create. "That's so cool!"

I couldn't stop the warm smile that spread on my features as I watched them together. Naruto needed this, but I suspected that Kyohei might as well. Naruto brought out the good in people wherever he went, so long as he wasn't playing those pranks of his.

"This man of yours is good with kids." Machi whispered as she stepped up by my side, smiling as well at the scene.

Even Machiko had reluctantly come around to Naruto when it became clear that he was here to stay in our lives. And Naruto had been delighted to gain yet another friend.

I couldn't help but agree with her as I watched Kyohei patiently teach Naruto the painstaking and delicate strokes it took to make a storage seal. I recalled as well how I had seen him cheer up crying children in the streets by making silly faces at them, or how he doted heavily on his younger brother, Kiba. Kiba had a shelf in his room dedicated to all the little treasures and knick-knacks that Kyohei had brought him back from his missions over the years.

Kyohei might like to pretend he was a hardened warrior, one who hid behind the persona of a boar; but deep down he was soft. His problem was that he rarely knew how to express that part of himself, and often ended up saying something stupid or blundering up when he tried to do so. But in raw moments like these I could see him for who he truly was.

"Yeah, he is." I agreed softly, unaware of the smile on my own face.

"…Does he have any brothers?" She asked suddenly, a sly tone in her voice.

"Sure does! A nice, handsome, twelve-year-old brother." I informed her matter-of-factly, laughing quietly when she groaned, a sad frown tugging at her lips.

"I never have any luck." She mumbled in disdain. "You know my step-mother wants to marry me off to that middle-aged man that sells fish in the market?"

I wrinkled my nose in disdain when I called to mind the image of the man she had referenced. He was a disgusting man, a drunk who liked to beat his wife and cat call at any woman who walked by. I'd even seen him slap the behind of a twelve-year-old girl once.

Needless to say, I was not impressed with him at all.

"The fifty-year-old pervert with the big gut?" I turned in disbelief, the shock clear on my features. "Please tell me this is a joke."

I desperately willed it not to be true.

"I wish it was. His second wife died last month, now he wants a new one." She shuddered at the thought of it, before turning her nose up in the air. "The dumb skank just wants me married off and out of the picture so she can inherit when my father dies. But don't worry, I threatened to shave my head like one of those monks if my Otou-san agreed. He won't do it, trust me. Besides, he knows I'd rather inherit his trade than marry."

I gaped at her, the image of her with a shaved head giving me cause to giggle. But I soon sobered at what her step-mother was threatening her with. By societal rules she would not be allowed to inherit anything of her father's wealth or business once she married out of her family and into another. But if she remained unmarried, she would inherit everything since she had no brothers or male cousins, and her step-mother would get nothing.

And never once had I heard her express a desire to get married. Machi was much better suited towards business and economics, I certainly couldn't see her as some domestic housewife. And apparently, she couldn't quite picture that either. To be twenty-five and unmarried was nearly unthinkable, but she had turned down each proposal that had ever come her way, intent on going into business for herself.

"Your Otou-san would let you take over the business? Even though you're a woman?" I asked carefully, still surprised at the idea. That sort of thing just didn't happen here, or at least not very often.

She pulled closer to me, guiding me into the kitchen with my elbow and out of hearing range from the men in my living room. When she spoke, her voice was hushed.

"Otou-san says that women in Suna are allowed to own businesses without the permission of their husband. They can inherit things just the same as any man can, they have laws about equality there. Women can even choose their own husbands! Can you imagine?"

"That's great, Machi-chan, but we're not in Suna. I'm not sure that would ever happen here, at least not any time soon."

Machi only shook her head quickly, glancing nervously towards the room where Naruto and Kyohei were working. She lowered her voice even further before speaking again.

"My Obaa-san from my mother's side still lives there, I think Otou-san has been thinking about getting us to _Kaze no Kuni._ Since my grandmother was born there we could apply for citizenship."

My head spun as I tried to make sense of what she was saying.

"The Land of Wind? But why? Is business bad here?" I questioned, looking to her intently and lowering my voice to a whisper like hers.

"Otou-san says that relations between Suna and Konoha are getting tense, just as bad as they were before the last war. There are trade embargoes and rioting near the borders that nobody's talking about here, it's being kept hidden from the citizens of _Hi no Kuni_. Whatever is going on outside the borders has Otou-san scared enough to consider leaving. He won't talk about specifics, but I know he thinks Suna is safer."

I fell silent at her revelation.

In the canon plot, we had never seen much of politics or tensions between nation states on a more political level. It had only showed such subjects through village warfare or through the eyes of the ninja. But there was so much more that happened behind the scenes, so many decisions made by the council and foreign dignitaries that affected more than just clashes between ninja and missions.

The manga had never dealt with subjects like trade, foreign relations, or civil unrest. But this wasn't the manga anymore, this was real.

In all reality, Suna probably _was_ safer.

"You're saying the council is keeping this from us? Why would they do that?" My question was low, voice shallow, though I had a feeling I already knew the answer.

Machi sighed, shoulders deflating.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Though Otou-san thinks it's because the village can't afford to go to war with Suna right now even though they keep trying to expand their borders into our territories. He might think we wouldn't be able to win again. We barely won last time as it is."

"That's…I don't even know what to say." I stuttered. I hadn't realized just how bad the situation was outside our borders. Then again, there was a reason for that.

The council didn't want us to know. They wanted our citizens to keep thinking we're the most powerful land on the map, they wanted to abolish any doubts that we could ever lose. Because, if doubt existed in a society, that society would be less willing to pick up a sword and go to war at the council's demand. Public dissent was something the council couldn't afford in a world where wars ran rampant and periods of peace were often short-lived.

The propaganda, the _Will of Fire_ , the subtle sense of superiority that was ingrained in the citizens of _Hi no Kuni_ from their births – it was all the work of the council. They wanted us to think that we were the most powerful, that we were better than the others - superior in culture, ethics, and society. That way, when the next war eventually came, the village council would have the undying support of every man, woman, and child. That sense of inherent nationalism and dangerous patriotism that was worth dying for had been cultivated and fostered by the council for that reason alone.

That way, when children were sent into a battlefield, it was seen as justified. Their deaths would be seen as an honorable service to the village instead of what it truly way – a tragedy. Families would mourn, but they would still be willing to continue sacrificing for _The Will of Fire._

 _But there was never another war with Suna in the original series, we're probably fine here._

"It's probably better not to say anything at all." She advised. "It's not public knowledge, I don't want this getting back to my family and I. I don't know if we're actually going to leave or not, all I know is that things don't look as good outside the village as the council tells us they are."

I pondered upon the information a moment longer, deep in thought with a heavy feeling in my heart.

My thoughts were interrupted by the two men in my living room who I probably should not have left unsupervised.

"Okay, now just push a little bit of chakra into the seal to activate it. Not too much, or else –"

"Don't worry '-ttebayo, this is a piece of cake!"

"No, Naruto! That's too much chakra!"

It happened in the blink of an eye.

The door to my kitchen was blown off its hinges, and I barely managed to pull Machi out of the way in time as it rocketed past us and collided with the adjacent wall. We both collapsed on the floor from how hard I pulled her, staring openly in shock at how the door had lodged into the wall and narrowly missed hitting one of us in my small, narrow kitchen.

I let my gaze drift tentatively from the door embedded in the wall towards the living room that was now visible to me, and immediately wished I hadn't.

My living room was on fire, along with all of my possessions that we had piled together to put inside a storage scroll. Aki was barking at the flames, howling like a wolf in his distress. Two of my windows had been blown out and there was glass scattered all over the floor. And, to top it all off, Kyohei and Naruto were running around like chickens with their heads cut off, attempting to put out the blaze.

"Should we – should we help?" Machi stuttered, still gathering her senses after nearly having been decapitated by what used to be my kitchen door.

I stood with a scowl, helping Machi up as well. Yamamoto-baa-san was not going to be pleased.

"Nope." I replied firmly, shaking my head and motioning her to follow me as I made towards the front door and slipped my sandals back on. They were going to fix this mess themselves. "I think now would be a perfect time for lunch. How about soba?"

"You know, that sounds lovely. Let's get soba." Machi nodded quickly, voice breathless and taking my lead to walk around the random patches of flames to slip into her sandals as well and follow me out the door.

I sent one last look of disapproval towards Kyohei before we left.

"We're going for lunch, and if this isn't fixed by the time we get back you two are going to be in big trouble!" I slammed the door behind me, closing the door to the chaos and Kyohei's protests that he was hungry too.

"Now, where were we, Machi-chan?" I offered her my arm with a pleasant smile, as if we hadn't just exited a blazing mess and two flustered ninja and a howling ninken.

She caught on quickly.

"We were going for lunch, Kimari-chan! Although, since your husband is paying for it, I wouldn't mind stopping for tea and something sweet as well!" She smirked, looping her arm around mine as we walked forward.

"I like the way you think, my friend."

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In the end, the fire had been put out and a few of my belongings had been saved before the flames got to them. My grandfather's wall scrolls had been salvaged, along with most of my clothing, and Kyohei had made sure to grab my grandmother's hair comb since he knew how special it was to me.

But the rest of my belongings had been reduced to ashes. I supposed I ought to have been grateful I didn't own much. When you didn't own much, you couldn't lose much. And Kyohei had saved the important things.

After Machi left for home and I got back to the singed apartment, I marched both of them straight to Yamamoto-baa-san so that they could make a proper and formal apology, and so that Kyohei could pay for the damages and repairs.

And I was right to assume she would be upset, she hadn't been happy at all. She screamed at them for the better portion of an hour, reprimanding them about having proper respect for somebody else's property, rowdy behavior, and recklessness. I'd stood off to the side with Aki, happy to have a front row view of the action as she raged.

I'd asked them hours before they got started with the fuinjutsu to do it outside, knowing Kyohei's fuinjutsu skills, or lack thereof. But they'd both waved me off and ignored the warning to be careful, and I felt no remorse as Yamamoto-baa-san screamed at them until I was sure the old woman might faint from overexertion.

When that was over I had held in the 'I told you so' that I wanted to say, and had only made them promise to practice their seals outdoors from now on.

And now the four of us were walking towards the Inuzuka compound, and Kyohei was getting the silent treatment. But when we got closer to the entrance to the compound, Kyohei turned suddenly, giving a pointed look to Naruto.

"I'll take your things and bring them home, why don't you and Naruto go have some fun?" He suggested, though his tone made it sound like it was less of a suggestion and more of a command.

Naruto nodded vigorously after sharing a meaningful look with the taller Inuzuka.

I glanced between them in suspicion. Something felt off about the sudden detour, and it was blatantly obvious that the two of them were attempting to hide something. Naruto wasn't the subtlest, after all.

"That's okay, I think I'd like to get settled in. I'm sure there's lots of cleaning to do." I murmured, still refusing to look him in the eye. He was still getting the cold shoulder for burning down my living room.

I took a few steps forward to the gates of the compound, but this time it was Naruto who stopped me by reaching out and grabbing my hand.

"Wait, Nee-chan!" He exclaimed loudly, an unnatural and forced smile on his face. "I've – um – well, you see –"

"What Naruto is trying to say is that –" Kyohei tried, before I interrupted them both.

"What's going on? Why are you guys acting so strange?" I demanded, looking towards Kyohei for an explanation.

"I've got it!" Naruto yelled suddenly, giving my arm a strong yank in the opposite direction. "I need to show you somethin' really special, it can't wait!"

"That's right." Kyohei nodded seriously, to which I only raised a suspicious brow. "It can't wait, you wouldn't want to miss something this special, right?"

 _What in the world are they talking about? Maybe it's better to just go along with it..._

"Alright, Naruto-kun." I relented, allowing him to lead me in the direction of the river district. "This had better be worth it."

He was already pulling me quickly from the Inuzuka compound and down a road that led towards the fishing piers as he answered.

"Oh, it will, trust me!"

.

* * *

.

"This is what you wanted to show me?" I eyed the object in his hands, unimpressed.

In his hands, cradled as if it were some sort of precious jewel, was a frog that I was fairly certain I had just seen him catch when I'd had my back turned.

"…Yeah." Naruto nodded unconvincingly, and I watched a bead of nervous perspiration trickle down his temple. He was a lousy liar. "But, y'see, it's not just any ol' frog-"

"I'm going back to the compound, there's a lot of work for me to do."

I turned, marching back down the pier he had brought me to and in the direction of my new home. If what Hana had mentioned about Kyohei's cleaning habits were true, I had one heck of a job waiting for me. But I'd make him help too. I'd be disrupting the peace of his bachelor's pad for sure.

"Wait, Kimari-nee! You can't go yet!" He called, quickly tossing the poor frog back into the water and coming to stand directly in front of me, blocking my way. "Can we…uh…can we just talk for a little bit? The sun's gonna set soon, and it looks real nice from this pier!"

"You want to talk." I repeated back to him, tone flat and features ripe with disbelief.

He nodded again and stuck his lower lip out, and I could only follow him back to the end of the pier with a look like that. Naruto most likely didn't realize how much of a hold he had over my heart.

The water and air were cool, but we still took off our shoes to dip our feet in the river. On the horizon, anvil clouds billowed in the sky, signaling we might be due for a front tonight that was likely to bring a few rain showers.

I waited to speak until we were situated at the end of the dock once more, sitting down with our shoes off and our toes skimming the surface of the river as the sun lowered and the sky changed colors.

It was a bit chilly to be dipping our feet in the water, but I made an exception for Naruto.

"What was it you wanted to say, Naruto-kun?" I asked, gaze focused on the colors in the sky that the setting sun brought forth. "If you pull out another frog I'm going to leave." I warned.

He gave a small laugh, but it quickly died out.

Naruto had become silent, too silent for his character. Something was off.

"Naruto-kun?" I tried again, tearing my eyes from the sky and reflections of color on the surface of the river to look towards him.

He did not look at me when he spoke, keeping his hard gaze centered down at the ripples beneath our feet caused by our toes.

"I'm happy for you, Kimari-nee." He intoned, though he didn't sound as happy as he claimed to be. "You and Kyohei-nii are happy, so I'm happy for you."

I analyzed his face as he gave his glad tidings, noting the dejected look in his eyes and refusal to meet my gaze.

"You don't look very happy." He stiffened at my comment, but still did not meet my eyes. "Are you sure nothing else is bothering you?" I asked, though I suspected I already knew the answer.

He thought he was going to be alone again.

 _Silly boy._

"I just – " A howl in the distance sounded, and Naruto quieted at the sound as if he had just heard some sort of signal. He stood then, shaking his head as if to rid himself from troublesome thoughts. When he finally met my eyes, it was with a fake smile plastered upon his face. "Looks like it's time to go, Nee-chan!"

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about –"

But he was already walking down the pier without me, beckoning me to follow with a forced smile. I frowned as I stood and slipped my shoes back on, I hadn't realized just how upset he was, though I supposed it made sense.

In his mind, I had found something better and would now cast him to the side. In his mind, he wished the best for me, but still found his heart breaking at the thought of losing his first friend. In his mind, he would now go back to cup ramen and nights spent miserable and alone.

But I kept quiet.

Kyohei and I had planned to reveal his room in our house together, as a secret surprise, and he would soon learn that his fears were unwarranted. We would not leave him behind, and I would certainly not let him go back to the way he had lived before if I could help it.

Our relationship had started off rocky, with me being terrified of what being near him might bring, but I had overcome my fear and Naruto had been the catalyst in my life that allowed me to begin to truly live again, to love and relate to others in a way I hadn't been able to in two decades since I left my homeland and family behind.

No, I couldn't leave him. He was just as much a brother to me now as the ones I'd had before.

I followed at his side silently as we made our way back to the compound. At the front gate we were met by Kiba and Akamaru, who both had large grins spread across their faces. Or snout, in the case of Akamaru.

Naruto stayed silent as Kiba led us through a compound that seemed to be nearly deserted. There were no clansmen walking from home to home, no dogs barking in the streets, and not a sound was heard as we traversed towards the matriarch's large house located at the center of the compound.

"Why's it so quiet, Kiba-kun?" I asked softly, somewhat unsettled by the lack of noise and commotion that was common here. "Where's Kyohei?"

"They're – uh – they're…training?" He replied, his answer an obvious lie.

"Really?" Came my dubious reply. "Every single member of the clan is training at the exact same time? Civilians too?"

 _Yeah, right._

"Uh-huh." He affirmed, as he stepped up and on to the traditional wooden patio that circled Tsume's house, reaching for the sliding wooden and paper door. "Now come, on, we're late!"

I followed after him into the house, now more confused than ever. Naruto trailed closely behind me, still silent.

"Late for wha-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

The lights flickered on inside of the house of the clan head, revealing what looked to be the majority of the Inuzuka clan and their ninken packed inside of the home, crammed like sardines.

Kyohei, Hana, and Tsume stood in the middle, with Kyohei holding a tray of some type of strange looking sweets that he had shoved twenty-one flickering candles inside.

I blinked.

Once, twice, and then again.

"…Huh?" Was all I managed, still shocked at the sight of them and the yelled greeting that had taken me by surprise.

"Happy birthday!" Repeated Hana, motioning me forward and into a crowd of smiling, tattooed faces. "And welcome home. Kyohei told us it was your birthday today, so we wanted to have a little get together and have you meet your new family."

I stayed glued to the spot, a sea of emotion now swirling inside of me as I stared at them with wide eyes.

"Is that today?" I replied in astonishment, having completely forgotten all about it.

"The seventeenth of October, right?" Kyohei demanded with a large grin that distorted his tattoos. I gave a slow nod, looking around at all of them as I processed. "Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday?"

 _That's right. I turned twenty-one today._

Laughs went up all around, the sound near deafening from both the amount of people jammed inside Tsume's house and the ridiculous volume they used.

And soon enough, I was surrounded by a crowd of Inuzuka, making introduction after introduction and completely overwhelmed by how many faces and names were being thrown my way. Food was shoved onto my plate by women telling me to 'put some meat on my bones', and drinks were passed around, which I politely declined.

The party was in full swing in little to no time at all, and I talked with many different people who only seemed kind and warm and accepting of me. So very different from the last few months living as an outcast of civilian society.

Large trays of grilled meats were passed around and shared, communal style, and chopsticks were set aside in favor of using hands and canines. A few men and women sat in a corner pounded on the floor with their fists and palms to produce a type of percussion rhythm unlike anything I had heard before. Children and puppies played between the legs of the adults, roughhousing on the floor and playing a game of shinobi tag.

 _These guys sure know how to party._

"You look a little overwhelmed." I turned at the sound of Hana's voice as she approached and stood at my side. "Do you want a drink?"

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just a lot to take in. Life here is very different than how I was raised – it's a good type of different though." I reassured her, and she nodded with a lopsided grin. "And thank you, but I don't drink."

"You too? I guess you guys are made for each other. Kyohei doesn't drink either. Can you imagine that? An Inuzuka who doesn't drink?" I laughed along with her, making a mental note to ask Kyohei about that later. I hadn't known he didn't drink alcohol, I had just assumed he didn't drink in front of me because he respected my religious background.

"I've been wanting to ask you something, and don't feel obligated to say yes just because we're sisters now." She started, and I nodded curiously, the motion prompting her to continue. "I run the veterinarian clinic here, it's the largest in Konoha, and I could really use some help. I know you have your vegetable stand, so I understand if you'd rather not."

My jaw dropped open and I gaped like a fish at the offer.

In Palestine I dreamt of becoming a doctor one day, but that dream had been crushed by the war and poverty. I'd spent years burying my nose in old textbooks, studying for a chance to take the entrance exams to a medical school in Al-Quds that I never got the chance to take. It had been my greatest dream, but it was one that I'd given up long ago.

Even here I realized I would never become a doctor, and it was a reality I'd come to terms with. Doctors here used medical ninjutsu for the most part, and the ones who didn't still had to pay expensive fees to get their training at the hospital. I had no training in iryo-ninjutsu nor the funds to attend the classes.

But never had I considered before that I could possibly become a doctor for animals. The thought honestly hadn't crossed my mind. In some ways, I'd remained assured that I might have to sell vegetables until the day I died here, that poverty was something I would never escape in either of my lives.

"You mean like a veterinarian?" I asked, my voice hardly higher than a whisper. "Me? You mean it?"

She laughed again, as if I had said something hilarious.

"Why not? I can train you myself, like I said, I really could use the help. Kyohei says you're very bright, he's the one who suggested it to me. He was bragging the other night that you learned to read with just a little guidance in under three months, and that's an impressive feat for anyone."

"You really mean it?" I sputtered, eyes shining. "I could learn to be a veterinarian even though I don't know medical ninjutsu?"

"Well, sure." She replied confidently. "Being an iryo-nin certainly makes the job easier, but there are plenty of civilian vets. You don't have to be a ninja to make a proper diagnosis, we do plenty of procedures without the use of medical jutsu."

"I would love that!" I gushed, finding myself suddenly more excited than I had been in years about anything. "Thank you so much! I won't let you down!"

 _Sayonara, produce stand!_

"Geez, Hana, I'm gone for five minutes and you've already sunk your claws into my mate!" Kyohei laughed as he approached. "Can I have a moment with her?"

Hana cackled, resembling Tsume as she did so.

"Sure, sure. I'll leave you two lovebirds be." She held her hands up as she walked away, before tossing her head over her shoulder and addressing me once more. "We'll start your training Monday morning, I'll meet you at the kennels!"

I watched her go, starry-eyed at the gift she had just awarded me. I doubted she knew just how much it meant. I turned to Kyohei then, meeting his eyes with a warm gaze.

"Thank you, Kyohei, for everything. You knew it was my dream." My tone was soft, and his cheeks heated immediately at my words.

He scratched awkwardly at the back of his head, looking to the side.

"I told you I'd find you the best tutor in the village, didn't I? Hana isn't a tutor, but she can help you accomplish your dream here." He mumbled, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Don't get all worked up, I'm just keeping my promise."

He grabbed my hand suddenly, only to place something sticky into my palm, obviously looking to change the subject to save himself further embarrassment. Although, I failed to see how doing something kind always made him so self-conscious and embarrassed, but it always did.

He offered a small explanation as I lifted the substance closer to my face for inspection. It was then that I realized that what he had placed in my grasp was one of the sweets that he had been holding on the tray earlier. It looked unlike anything I'd seen before, and not in a good way.

It was lumpy, misshapen, and partially burnt around the edges.

"I know it's probably a shitty replacement for it, but you said it was your favorite so I wanted to give it a shot. I'm a horrible cook though, so apologies in advance if it sucks." He started, and I looked up to stare at him in confusion, unsure what he was referencing. "The nut you mentioned doesn't grow here, but I was able to find some walnuts on short notice. I used honey instead of rose syrup, because I couldn't find it in any market in the village, but I think it-"

And suddenly, the facts came together. Never mind that the rose syrup was something he had confused with another recipe.

"Kyohei…" I started, choking as my emotions surfaced. I swallowed harshly in an attempt not to cry. "Is this…?"

"Yeah - well, not really. I tried, but I've never made it before…" He trailed off, looking to me anxiously. "I'm sure it's nothing like the real stuff. It's a little burnt too. Sorry about that."

 _Baklava. He made me baklava. My favorite sweet from home._

But it didn't matter if it wasn't authentic and was partially burnt, what mattered was the trouble that he had gone to trying to replicate something I loved as a birthday present. I savored the bite as I chewed, even though it tasted nothing like baklava at all. It didn't matter.

He watched closely as I chewed and swallowed, and his face visibly relaxed when I told him it was delicious.

I licked the honey from my fingers with a happy heart. I ate five more pieces.

The hours passed in a daze until it had become quite late as we continued talking, accepting the congratulations and well-wishes from other clansmen, until something caught my attention from the corner of my eye. A flash of orange and whiskers, slipping out the front door nearly unnoticed.

"Kyohei." I tugged on his sleeve and leaned in closer to whisper to him. "It's Naruto. Can we wrap things up here?"

He gave a firm nod, signaling his agreement. I was unprepared when he bellowed his next statement for the clan to hear.

"Sorry, guys! We're turning in, we've got business to attend to!" He called, and all the noise stopped in that moment as we were given the full attention of the clan.

And then the crowd burst into noises of the more suggestive nature: howls, whistles, and inappropriate sounds accompanied with cheers and laughter. A few even had the guts to yell some last-minute _tips._

I flushed from head to toe at what was being insinuated, and Kyohei immediately backtracked.

"That's – that's not what I meant! Get your heads out of the damn gutter!"

The whistling quickly turned to laughter as the rowdy crowd found humor in his flustered response. Kyohei only scowled at them, made an offensive gesture that garnered even more laughter, and slammed the door behind us.

But the minute Kyohei closed the doors, I was already running towards what I could see of Naruto's retreating figure in the dark with his shoulders slumped and kicking at random rocks as he passed.

"Naruto-kun! Wait!" I called desperately, running across dewy grass with bare feet.

He turned at the sound of my voice, surprised to have been followed. I was breathing heavily when I caught up to him, and Kyohei appeared soon after as well.

"Kimari-nee?" He questioned quietly, looking between us in confusion. But I was still huffing and puffing from my desperate sprint.

"Kimari and I have something we want to show you." Kyohei supplied as I caught my breath.

His brows furrowed as he continued to look between us, eyes darting back and forth quickly between our forms.

"It's not a frog, I promise." I said with a small chuckle, which elicited a small smile from him. "Come with us, Naruto-kun?"

I held out my hand for him to take. He eyed it a moment, as if trying to detect what we could possibly want to show him, before he slipped his warm fingers into my grasp.

We walked quietly, eventually joined by Aki as well, as we traversed the Inuzuka lands towards Kyohei's small home.

The home was something he was proud of, having built it himself. It was quite small, but it was cozy, with many windows and a warm interior that looked much more European than anything in Konoha. It was modeled after a cottage on the inside, and sat on the outskirts of the majority of the homes within the compound, bordering the forest.

The cottage was lovely, with two small bedrooms, a combined kitchen and living room space, and one bathroom that held a circle tub that was more traditional here in Konoha.

If you looked at it from the outside, with the tall trees of Konoha's forest and the traditional Konoha build sytle, it looked fairly inconspicuous. But when you walked through the front door it was easy to feel as if you had left Konoha all together. With the interior European architecture, you might have pictured yourself in a different place. Or, perhaps, a different _universe_.

But here it was just written off as eccentric decorating preferences, and Kyohei was smart to have built the outside to match the majority of the other buildings in the clan compound.

The cottage had, of course, been completely sealed for our privacy and protection.

Naruto inhaled softly in surprise as he stepped over the threshold and into the European-looking bungalow. The wooden kitchen table and carved wooden chairs, the white curtains, the sitting chairs and bookcase, the fireplace with a set of hand-carved and brightly painted matryoshka dolls placed on top of the mantle – all of it was sure to look extremely strange to Naruto. But for Kyohei, it was home. Or at least a slice of home that he had created for himself here.

"You've got weird taste, Kyohei-nii." Naruto murmured after a few moments taking in the odd decoration and furniture. "But I like it."

"Good." Kyohei ruffled his head as he passed the boy and walked further into our home. "Then that means you'll like how we decorated your room."

"It's a good thing you like his style!" I laughed, passing Naruto as well to follow after Kyohei. "Come and take a look. If you don't like it we can always re-decorate."

This was the moment I had been waiting for. I had been excited to see his reaction for days now, and it didn't let me down.

"M-my room?" He asked, voice very small in that moment and eyes wide in disbelief. "I don't understand."

He let us guide his dumbfounded form into the small guest bedroom without protest. His steps were tentative as he entered into the room, surveying it all with his mouth agape.

This room matched the rest of the European-styled cottage as well, with wooden floors, soft walls, a small dresser, and a raised bed and night stand. The quilt on top of the bed was one I had patched together myself, with little forest critters embroidered around the edges, including foxes and dogs playing together, the message completely intentional.

"This is…for me?"

Kyohei and I shared a small smile as he turned, shock embedded deep into his blue orbs.

"You really mean it '-ttebayo?"

"Well, you technically can't live here since you aren't an Inuzuka –" Started Kyohei, who I quickly interrupted before he could say anything worse when I saw Naruto's face fall some at his words.

"BUT –" I cut in, and he looked back up with eyes alight when I continued. "Tsume said you could spend a few nights a week if you like. We'll keep the room ready for you. You can come whenever you like, isn't that great?"

Naruto only nodded slowly, seeming to have trouble comprehending what had unfolded.

"And look!" I continued, crossing into the room and opening the first drawer of his dresser. "I sewed you two pairs of night clothes, so you don't even have to pack anything! You can take them home and see if they fit, I can alter them for you if they don't. I was estimating as I made them, so they might not –"

I was cut off with a tight hug. When he spoke his voice was muffled by my clothing.

"Why?"

His question nearly broke my heart in two. After months of friendship, he was still conditioned to think that he was worthless and unlovable.

"Because that's what family does, dummy." Called Kyohei, from his spot leaning against the door frame.

Naruto released me immediately at the word 'family', looking to Kyohei with a pale face. Kyohei continued after seeing Naruto was left speechless.

"Family comes in two different types: the one you're born with, and the one you choose for yourself along the way. Just like how Kimari and I chose each other and became family, do you understand?" He asked, the question serious. "Your teammates and sensei can be family, Kimari and I can be family, even the damn Hokage can be your family."

This was the most open and honest I had ever seen Kyohei speak to Naruto, similar to how he spoke to his own little brother.

"I think I get it." Naruto said, voice dripping in newfound wonder at the revelation. "So you and Kimari-nee can be family if we choose each other?"

"Exactly." Affirmed Kyohei with a small bob of his head. "And we already chose you so you're stuck with us."

His grin was blinding.

"I understand '-ttebayo!" He exclaimed, accepting the pajamas I had made for him with a wide grin. He held the hand-made clothing close to his chest as if it were precious to him. "We can be family!"

Suddenly, his grin turned from innocent to sly as he glanced between us.

"Hehehe, well I'll just be going now, I don't want to interrupt nothin'!" He snickered to himself as he tiptoed past Kyohei and I, heading towards the front door of the cottage with his new pajamas.

"You don't want to stay?" I asked, surprised that he was choosing to leave after we had shown him his room here. I'd thought he would want to stay for sure.

"Eh?" He looked shocked for a moment with a light blush, before Kyohei rolled his eyes at my oblivious attitude and waved him along.

"Don't worry, we understand. Thanks for the privacy, little bro." Kyohei walked with him towards the front door, and I watched in confusion as they exchanged a fist bump before Kyohei shut the door behind him, leaving the two of us alone together.

It was then that it dawned on me just what Naruto had been hinting at before he left. And suddenly, I was very aware of the fact that we were now alone. I felt my own cheeks heating now.

"You can take the bathroom first, if you want." He offered, shrugging off his black jacket and draping it over a kitchen chair to expose his bare arms with the black sleeveless shirt he wore underneath. "I'll go get some water from the well for you to wash with."

And before I had a chance to say otherwise, he was out the door, traversing towards the small well next to his home.

The house was not hooked up to the village's plumbing system. In fact, most of the Inuzuka compound wasn't. There were many communal wells that were used instead. I supposed we were lucky to have our own.

The Inuzuka compound was located near the edge of the forest, much like the Nara compound. But the lovely views came with a price; we were situated outside the reach of the village's modern plumbing system since we weren't located in a more industrialized area of the village. It made sense though. The Inuzuka made good use of the forest with their ninken, and the Nara had kilometers of forest land that backed up to our lands, where their deer roamed free.

And to be honest, the plumbing didn't bother me. I'd lived without it before, I could do it again. The only downside I saw was that there was no hot water on demand, not like how I'd had in my apartment in the more developed area of the village. Yeah, I was going to miss that.

Instead, we had a traditional tub, where you had to go outside the house to access a moveable panel where one could light a fire underneath the tub to heat the water. Very old-fashioned and time consuming, but as long as we had the means to hot water I wasn't going to complain.

Soon enough, Kyohei had returned, a long wooden pole with two large buckets sloshing water on each end balanced over his shoulder blades. Strong muscles flexed as he repositioned the heavy pails of well water and maneuvered his way towards the bathroom.

I dropped my gaze, not wanting to get caught ogling at his arms.

He emerged from the bathroom moments later, but my gaze remained glued to the wooden floorboards beneath my feet.

"I'll go light the fire, it heats up pretty fast. There's soap and some other toiletries in the cupboard." He announced.

"Ah, thanks." I murmured. Stepping past him and into the bathroom to shut the door behind me.

I surveyed the bathroom in a way that seemed almost detached, the space mostly unfamiliar to me, but a space that was now my home. I ran my hand over the surface of the slowly heating water as I listened to Kyohei rustling outside the house as he kindled the fire.

 _Home, this is home now. Here with Kyohei, here with the Inuzuka._

I pondered upon the thought a while longer before finally slipping out of my clothing and into the warm water. The water was heating quickly with the small fire beneath it, just as promised, and there were soon billows of soft steam rising into the air around me.

"Inuzuka Mari."

My voice was hardly even a whisper as I repeated the name to myself, my new name.

When I had finished bathing and had redressed myself in my night clothing, I slowly opened the door to the bathroom to start down the short hallway that led towards our bedroom. My bare feet made little 'plopping' noises as I stepped into the bedroom, only to find it empty.

"Sorry about earlier, when we were leaving the party. I didn't realize it would sound the way it did." I heard Kyohei's voice behind me then, and I spun quickly with a small gasp, hand over my heart at the sudden surprise.

He was dressed in his own night clothes, hair dripping. It looked as though he had washed by the well.

I hadn't heard or seen him approach. But I suppose that was natural, he was a ninja after all. His footsteps never made sounds unless he was actively trying to be heard.

"It's fine." I breathed. "I think most of them were drunk anyways."

"You're probably right about that." He chuckled softly as he moved past me and into the bedroom. I followed into the dimly lit room after him, letting my eyes wander around the cozy abode.

It was then that I realized there was only one bed.

"K-Kyohei?" I called softly, cursing my easily flustered nature when I felt my face getting hot. "What are we going to do about the sleeping situation?"

He snorted, before wiggling his eyebrows.

"Together, obviously. We're mates now, remember?"

"What? But – no – I mean, yes, we are - but – t-t-t-together?" I stuttered, and I was sure my face was now about as red as a lobster.

He burst into laughter, the loud sound reverberating within the small room.

"Sorry, love!" He wiped a tear from his eye as he reined himself in. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Jesus, your face was priceless!"

He moved around to the other side of the bed, still laughing to himself. Pulling up the quilt on top of the raised bed, he ran his fingers underneath until a small 'click' was heard. To my amazement, the bottom portion of the wooden frame began to slide out from underneath to reveal a small platform bed on wheels that had been hidden beneath the higher bed.

 _A trundle bed hidden beneath the actual bed?_

I breathed an audible sigh of relief as he positioned himself on the lowered bed and pat the higher one, indicating that it would be mine to sleep on.

"You're such a jerk." I mumbled, though I couldn't help but laugh as well. I'd have to get him back for that one.

"Is that any way to speak to your husband?" He teased in faux chastisement as I climbed on top of the raised bed and slipped under the cozy quilt, nuzzling into the soft pillow. In the corner, Aki circled his doggie bed a few times before laying down and huffing in contentment though his snout.

I laughed again. I just couldn't help it. What a strange situation this all was.

Eventually my laughter ceased and Kyohei reached for the lamp to turn off the light. It was quiet for some time, before I spoke, voice soft and whispering into the darkness.

"Thank you again, you went to so much trouble, I really appreciate it." I heard the shifting of fabric and the creaking of the wooden bedframe as he rolled over to face my direction. "The party, the baklava, talking to Hana for me to help me pursue my dream, the separate beds – I don't know how to repay you."

He scoffed in the darkness.

"Repay me? Cut it out." I could nearly hear the scowl in his voice. "I didn't do any of it so you would owe me, I just want you to be happy. You don't owe me or anyone else a damn thing, got that?"

His voice was gruff, and I could tell I had made him uncomfortable again by thanking him. He didn't really like to be thanked or have his kind deeds acknowledged, but I felt it necessary to express how grateful I was.

"I know." I replied. "I just want to do something for you too. You've been so kind."

If somebody had told me the first time we had met that he was capable of this kind of sentiment and action, I doubted I would have believed them. But Kyohei was changing, just the same as I was, the both of us for the better.

I heard him roll again, sounding as if he had flopped onto his back.

"You want to do something for me, huh?" He was quiet for a moment, before voicing a request in a tone that was much less gruff. "Do you sing? I used to love listening to folk songs, I just whistle them now. You could sing a folk song from Palestine if you're comfortable with that. I'd really like to hear one."

A beat of silence before I answered. Outside, an owl hooted in the distance.

"I haven't in a long time. I was too scared to even hum them, they sound so different and I didn't want to attract attention." I admitted.

It was a shame, really. I loved to sing. I was decent, and singing was something that was in my blood. Palestinians had a deep love for our traditional music, it was how we survived. Our music and lyrics were filled with tragedy, history, and pride – it was a part of who I was.

My mother, sisters and I had sung folk songs while kneading bread or baking sweets in the bakery. My brothers sang nasheeds while they worked. My father hummed or recited Qur'an when he worked in the garden. It was just who we were.

"You can sing here all you want, even if the windows are open, whenever you like." Kyohei reminded me. "I've got so many privacy seals hidden in the walls of this house it's ridiculous."

I hummed quietly, thinking of what I could sing. I had many favorites.

It was quiet when I began, and my voice echoed throughout our small room as I sang. The song was one I was well familiar with, one that had risen in popularity when the bloodshed in our lands worsened in the last few years before I died.

It was a song nearly one hundred years old, one that told the tale of the grief when sons and husbands would leave to fight for an independence we would never truly win, and never come back home. The lyrics told the anguish of the mothers and wives who were only brought back a bloody rifle instead of a body to bury.

It was melancholic, like most of our music.

I felt strong as I sang in my mother tongue for the first time in two decades, like my identity was somehow returning to me. I felt warm as the last few notes escaped my lips and tapered out into the darkness. I felt strong and steady, as if I were carrying the strength of my ancestors in my bones.

Perhaps I had been carrying them with me all along.

If I closed my eyes, I could nearly smell the salty air coming from the Mediterranean that lapped at our ancient ancestral homelands. I could nearly hear the hustle and bustle of the busy city. I could almost taste the spices from the dinner table on the tip of my tongue.

I saw the faces of my family flash through my mind: My mother, my father, Marwah, Amal, Omar, Laith, Hassan, Khalil, Amir, Hamza.

But this time, instead of the memories leaving me feeling hopeless and destitute, I felt strength in them, I felt hope.

It was quiet again, even the owl had stopped hooting, and I could hear Aki's soft breathing from the corner where he lay atop his large doggie bed.

"Kyohei?" I whispered into the darkness of the night, only faintly illuminated by the light from the moon outside.

A soft snore was what greeted me in return.

I smiled to myself, before pulling the quilt up to my chin and letting my eyes flutter close.

What an odd sensation it was, to feel truly happy.

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 **A/N 2.0 – The song is 'Tallat El-Baroudeh', an old ballad of tragedy. My favorite version is sung by Sanaa Moussa, and it is available on Youtube should you like to give it a listen. I really recommend her if you are looking to try out some Palestinian folk tunes, she sings with so much passion. 'Nijmet El-Subeh' is another good one from her as well.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N - Make sure to check out Kimari and Kyohei's tumblr account: 'ask-kimari-and-kyohei' ! Less slice-of-lifey stuff in this chapter, and I'm excited to really get my plot rolling over the next few chapters. Things are going to get a bit more serious from here, but I'll still try hard to capture the day-to-day feel of civilian life. If you guys have any tips or ideas about what you'd like to see expanded, please let me know!**

 **Thanks for the time you guys are taking to read and review, I really cherish the support :)**

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The odor was overwhelming.

I repositioned the bandana I had tied over the lower half of my face to sit a bit further up the bridge of my nose as I continued to scrub at the floor of the kennel. My work clothing, a dark brown utilitarian one piece, was stained with all sorts of questionable substances.

The fumes from urine and feces that had soaked into the concrete floor were hard to get out, and this was the third time I was down on my hands and knees, scrubbing vigorously at the floor of one of the puppy kennels to try and get the smell out.

The puppies had been removed to run outside, Hana was insistent that they be given many hours of playtime each day, even though they were just strays from the village and nearby settlements. Hana had, all by herself, established this kennel that was in many ways more like a long-term care facility than a pound. Apparently, she'd started it at the age of only four, after being thoroughly horrified to learn that stray dogs were euthanized.

So, instead, stray dogs were brought here, cleaned up and properly trained, and then sold. In many ways it seemed like some sort of doggie university, where those dogs who would have once been euthanized would now train to become useful parts of our society.

Many of the Inuzuka civilians were trainers for both ninken and regular dogs, and those civilians worked hard here. They provided the dogs for the Konoha Military Police, they trained dogs to act as emotional support for veterans or seeing-eye dogs for the blind, and they helped young ninja and ninken duos train together as well to strengthen their bond. The dogs that were not able to pass the training were sent to farms outside the village, where they helped herd animals or keep foxes away from chicken coops.

All in all, Hana had created a more sustainable answer to the problem of what to do with a stray dog, and I respected her for it.

The dogs in training were kept here, in the kennels. The kennels were spacious, accommodating, and comfortable. Each dog was well fed and taken care of, and when I wasn't helping Hana at the clinic, I was working here to make sure things were clean and the dogs were comfortable – which included scrubbing animal waste out of the floor.

The puppies were the worst, not yet having learned to have full control over their bowels or bladder. There was always a mess to clean up in the puppy kennels, but I did my best to make sure it was kept as clean as possible.

This wasn't exactly what I'd had in mind when Hana had mentioned she needed help. But I supposed I hadn't truly known what to expect at all.

The other Inuzuka men and women who helped at the clinic and kennels took turns rotating cleaning duties between them, week by week. And this week, it was my turn. But I didn't mind, I considered it a fair trade for the wisdom Hana was imparting to me.

And I got to play with puppies in my spare time when I wasn't learning how to keep them healthy, so it was a win-win for everyone, really.

I found it somewhat humorous how quickly I had grown to adore the canine species, despite my upbringing in my first life. It was rare to see dogs where I had grown up, many Islamic societies preferred cats, and my family had been no different. We'd taken in a cat when I was around seven or eight, and one of my younger sisters, Marwah, had named him 'Mish-mish'.

Mish-mish was a mean old thing, forever cranky and nearly always hissing at any passerby, but we adored that cat anyways. Mish-mish had scratched and bitten me more times than I could count, yet he always stayed around. My mother was the only one he allowed to pet him, but that never stopped the rest of us from trying…and failing.

A new thought struck me then, one I hadn't considered before.

 _No way…that mean old cat outlived me? Now that's just not fair._

"Yo, Kimari!" A deep voice called, startling me out of my internal musings about cats and justice. "How goes it?"

I stopped my scrubbing movements, and stood, dropping my scrub brush into the soapy water pail by my side, brushing myself off as I did so.

"Hey there, Takeo." I gave the lumbering man a small nod, resisting the urge to bow and use honorifics that was still so prevalent. It was a hard habit to get rid of after so many years, and it had come as quite a surprise to learn that the Inuzuka rarely used honorifics, just given names when we addressed each other inside the compound. "I thought you had the day off today. What are you doing here?"

He gave a small sigh, looking down towards one of the last kennels, where I had a feeling he would soon be heading.

"I just wanted to check on Mimi, make sure she's alright. I don't like being away from her for too long." He murmured, eyes flicking back to mine. "How's she been? Any progress?" He asked hopefully, and I hated to give him the only answer I had in that moment.

"None yet, unfortunately. But she's doing okay, I added some more padding under her bed to help her rest better." I informed him, wishing that I could have relayed some better news.

Takeo was a Chuunin who also worked with Hana here in the clinic and kennels, and his ninken partner, Mimi, was heavily pregnant and expected to deliver her litter any day now. But until then, the poor dog was suffering and uncomfortable, and there was little we could do for her except try to make her more comfortable and well fed to help her keep up her strength.

Takeo had even started staying up with her throughout the night, and any time he got a break from his usual tasks within the village, he came straight here after checking up on his human family to see how she was doing.

I had nearly fainted of intimidation the first time I was introduced to Takeo, about two weeks ago now, on my first day of work with Hana. The man was the largest I'd ever seen in either of my lives, like some sort of terrifying half-giant. He surpassed even Kyohei, who was quite tall himself. And while Kyohei was all lean muscle, Takeo was bulk and brawn, a lumbering man with a gigantic physique that made me sure he could break me like a toothpick if he tried.

And with a name that meant 'violent warrior', I had hardly been able to stutter through an introduction at first – at least until he opened his mouth. As soon as he started speaking I realized just how wrongly I had judged him.

Takeo was the world's biggest teddy-bear, and I'd felt horrible for judging him based off of his appearance when we'd first met.

He may have looked like a terrifying giant on the outside, but on the inside he was kind and gentle, and cared far more about the wellbeing of others than he did for himself. He let the kids of the clan climb all over him, was scared of spiders, and sang puppies to sleep; there was nothing about Takeo that was remotely scary at all, a fact that I learned quickly.

There were even rumors that the only reason he had passed his Chuunin Exams was because his opponents had forfeited in a terrified rush after catching sight of his hulking form. And he had never been promoted to Jonin, he usually ran courier missions throughout the village and neighboring villages, and he seemed content with his work.

"I see." He rumbled, the low baritone of his dejected voice rich and deep. "I'd like to stay with her then, I finished my work early today. Why don't you go and get some rest? You've been working hard, and I know it's a lot for you to adjust to. I'll take the rest of your shift, okay?"

"Oh, no, I couldn't let you do that!" I waved my hands back and forth frantically at the generous offer. "I can handle the work, and I'm almost done!"

"I know you can handle it." He cast a soft smile before continuing. "But if it's all the same, I'd like to be alone with her, if that's okay. I'll finish the kennels and round up the puppies."

"O-oh, of course, I'm sorry." I felt flustered as I quickly stripped off my rubber gloves and handed him the cleaning supplies. I hadn't realized he might want privacy. "Here, take these then. I'll leave you two alone. Hana said to administer some muscle relaxers around sunset if she's still having the false contractions and is still in distress. Do you need anything?"

"No, we'll be fine." He assured me, accepting the gloves and supplies with giant hands that made mine look like twigs. "Thanks again, you're the best."

I ushered myself out fairly quickly after that, stepping out into the sun and the cool air and taking a deep breath. It certainly smelled nicer out here. Some high-pitched yipping and barking caught my attention to the right, where the puppies were enjoying their exercise outside, playing, rolling, digging, and chasing each other to their hearts content.

Even though they were so much work, I couldn't help but adore each and every one of them. I wondered as I watched them play where they would end up one day. How many would go to become dogs for the Military Police? How many would comfort the veterans of war and retired shinobi? How many would be sent to farms to help out the families there? How many would just end up being house pets?

 _I suppose I'll have to wait and see_.

I started down the small hill and towards the compound, waving and greeting some of the faces I had become familiar with over the last few weeks here. Yoko the trainer and her son Inumaru. The old senile man Tadashi, who sat on his porch all day long and yelled at children and dogs. Four-year-old Ryusei, who just couldn't stop bragging that he would be starting the academy next year with his twin sister Ryouku, who had sworn that she would outperform her brother there.

I was getting better with all the names and faces, and the Inuzuka made it an easy task for me. They were very open, and very confrontational, but in a good way.

I'd even made a new friend – Hoaya, Takeo's wife. Hoaya reminded me quite a bit of Machi, and I had a feeling an introduction was in order. Hoaya was a vivacious twenty-three-year old, who laughed louder than anyone I'd ever met before. She had a four month old daughter at home, Aoi, who giggled almost as much as her mother did.

Hoaya worked as a ninken breeder, to help ensure that the next generation of ninken were healthy and strong. She had refused to be a stay-at-home mother, and after a short period of bedrest and an even shorter maternity leave, she had returned to her work with her newborn daughter strapped to her chest in a sling.

That was just how the Inuzuka women were, even civilians like Hoaya; they were strong, capable, and true visionaries. They were who I aspired to be one day, as I made a place for myself here.

I passed their house, making a mental note to drop by and say hello sometime soon. My feet seemed to drag as I made my way throughout the compound and down the well-worn grassy path that led to mine and Kyohei's small abode, and I was suddenly very aware of just how tired I was.

The work was hard, and I was having trouble adjusting. My muscles were sore, my feet heavy, and my mind blank by the time I came home each night, even though I only worked part time. It was fast-paced, and filled with manual labor that took a toll on my small form, and even just a few hours of work in the kennels left me quite tired.

But after two weeks, I was beginning to see improvement. I was starting to develop what looked to be the beginning of lean muscle in my arms and legs, my body slowly adjusting to what I was demanding from it. I could run longer when I was chasing the dogs without getting out of breath so easily, and I was able to lift the crates of supplies by myself without Takeo's help now. I still needed Kyohei's help carrying the well water back to the house, but I had a feeling I might be able to do that by myself one day soon.

I was trying my hardest to pull my own weight and contribute to the clan, so that I could earn my keep. But there was more to it than just that: I wanted to prove I wasn't some weak and brainless civilian. I wanted to show I could keep up with the clanswomen, and I wanted to be useful here, not just a burden or an extra mouth to feed.

I wanted to earn my tattoos.

I thought about the purple fang markings that adorned the majority of the Inuzuka clan as I entered into our home and closed the door behind me. Unlike many other clans who used facial tattoos, where infants were marked at birth to show they belonged to this household or that household, the Inuzuka children had to earn their clan markings.

Only by showing valiant effort, and living up to the standards it takes to honor the Inuzuka name, would a child be awarded their tattoos.

Hana earned hers at four by opening up the kennels to save animals from being euthanized, showing that an Inuzuka was one with a strong heart. Kiba earned his at three by intervening in a case of bullying on the playground, protecting a little girl he hardly knew and letting the bullies beat him senseless so that she could go and get help, proving that an Inuzuka was one who showed courage in the face of adversity. Kyohei earned his at age seven, a bit later than most, when he slit the throat of a man who tried to kidnap Hana for ransom as a toddler, showing that an Inuzuka was one who put the clan above all else.

The water from the wash basin in the bathroom was cool against my skin as I rinsed the grime from my body while thinking about a seven-year-old Kyohei murdering somebody to save his adopted sister. The night he told me about it I'd had a hard time stomaching the story.

As I washed, I thought hard about it.

At times I forgot that Kyohei killed for a living, like many other people within the village. It was necessary for our safety, of course, I understood that, but it was a fact that left me in wonder whenever I thought about it. It was easy to forget his profession when he was goofing off, teasing, or purposefully annoying me.

At first I had just assumed he might be numb to it after so many years. He had, after all, been a soldier in his last life as well. And besides, what did I know? I was just a civilian, two times over now. I had never taken a life, and the only time I'd ever hurt somebody was when I broke the nose of one of the men who had attacked me in the alleyway before Naruto arrived.

I didn't know a thing about what people like Kyohei went through, or what happened to a person's mind and health when they left for a mission to end the life of whoever the village had told them to kill.

I had assumed that perhaps it just got easier, or perhaps people like Kyohei just got used to it.

But I was wrong.

The first night Kyohei woke me with his night terrors was one I'd never forget. They were common for him, an indication that his cocky façade of having it all together was a ruse. He'd screamed and wept in his sleep, calling for names of people I'd never heard before – some Slavic and some Japanese. That was the night I realized he liked privacy seals for more than one reason.

I'd had no idea what to do, as I sat there panicking atop my bed and staring down at his writhing form, damp with sweat and tangled in sheets.

Did I comfort him? Wake him? Let it pass? I had floundered, not knowing what to do in that situation. I'd tried yelling his name, tried shaking him, but neither worked.

It was Aki that ended it, seeming to know the drill. The large brown dog had only yawned and stretched, lumbering from his own little bed to climb atop Kyohei's and cuddle right up next to the distressed ninja. To my surprise, Kyohei had calmed immediately, and the desperate bellowing had soon faded to murmurs, and then to small whispers until he was once again sleeping peacefully.

It became clear to me after the first night of experiencing him fighting with night terrors, and the many nights that followed, that he had his own emotional baggage to carry.

This was the grit of real life that the show and manga had never shown us. It never showed us the lasting mental effects or psychological struggle that many ninja dealt with on their own, struggling through the nights and living behind a façade where they pretended they were okay. There were counseling services at the hospital, of course, but they were not mandatory, and they were not as frequently utilized as they ought to have been.

Kyohei had never gone to the counseling services to help him cope. He was too scared of a Yamanaka figuring out that he was different, too scared to allow himself to ask for help. And so he endured it alone, at least for now. I would be ready to listen when he was ready to talk.

He didn't know yet that I knew about his night terrors, and I was content to keep it that way. No need to make him feel embarrassed or bad about it. It was something he couldn't control, and I didn't want him to stress over it. I was hoping that he would talk to me about them one day, but I knew that it was best to let him bring up the subject on his own and at his own pace. Until that day came, I would try to be a good support system for him, in the same way that he now was for me.

All of this I pondered as I threw my hair up into a messy pony tail that hardly fit in the ribbon I used to bind it, and it didn't take long until pieces were already falling out to frame a face that was only growing tanner from working out in the sun.

My grandfather had always been strict about keeping me under the canopy while we worked at the market, always scared of letting my skin darken past any other color than the milky-white it had been. Lighter skin was seen as more lady like, feminine, and attractive. It was the mark of ultimate beauty and aspiration for traditional society, and if you weren't born with porcelain colored skin, many women chose to paint it on.

It had been his hope that my classic looks and pale skin would attract a decent suitor who would be willing to look past the fact that we had no dowry to give.

 _If only he could see me now!_ I thought to myself in immense amusement.

But that thought didn't make me feel bad, in fact, it was a thought I delighted in. The fact that sickly pale-looking skin was something that was seen as a virtue and a standard to base beauty off of was a disgusting thought to me. I wanted no part in that rhetoric, and was purposefully spending as much time in the sun as I could, allowing the unnaturally pale skin to gradually tan to a shade that was thoroughly unacceptable to traditional civilian standards. Now my appearance matched the rebellion of my clothing and attitude as well.

Short hair, sun-kissed skin, a scattering of unseemly freckles across the bridge of my nose from hours spent in the sun, and modern clothing completed the appearance. There would be no guessing as to where I belonged now, especially once I earned my tattoos, and nobody would ever mistake me for a traditional civilian again. I would never be shoved back into that role if I had any say in the matter.

I studied my new freckles and overall messy look in the bathroom mirror in approval, glad that I finally had a say in the most basic of choices regarding my outward appearance.

My reflection in the mirror was a proper mess; the blouse that sat waiting on a hanger was wrinkled, my hair had a windblown look to it and was already falling out of the messy ponytail, and I was fairly certain I still smelled faintly of the bleach I had been using all morning to clean the kennels.

A perfect mess, perfect for the shenanigan I was about to pull at the market. I was on my way to buy cabbage and flour, but my trip to the market was about far more than just some grocery shopping.

I ran over the strange recipe in my head one more time as I shoved my arms through the wrinkled sleeves of my loose, button up blouse and pulled on my patterned monpe pants to tie at my waist.

'Pierogi', Kyohei had called it. One of his favorite foods from before that I was going to try tonight.

From what I understood, it was just minced meat and cabbage rolled up into something akin to a dumpling. I doubted Kyohei even cared if I got the recipe right or not, he would devour anything that had cabbage in it. Cabbage was to Ivan as Olives were to Lamees, and I had a feeling he would be excited about dinner tonight.

I slipped my sandals on before heading out the door, grabbing my worn leather bag and slinging it over my shoulder on the way out.

The sky was bright today, despite it being November. I was grateful for the sunny weather of Konoha, it seemed that, no matter what season we were going through, that the weather remained sunny. Winter was short in Konoha, thankfully, only two or three months at the most.

I enjoyed the eternal blue sky and bright sun, I had never been cut out for the cold. Winters were short and mild here, and that was a fact I rejoiced in. My geta sandals clicked against the paved road once I exited the compound, and I took a deep breath as I repositioned my bag over my shoulder and started down the street, following the path towards the market place.

The market place was crowded, and there were many people bustling in the streets. The day was lovely, and the scene was lively because of it. It was familiar to me, both the scene and the people. The hustle and bustle of the streets, the merry calls of vendors to the shoppers, the laughter of children and adults alike – this was where the majority of my last two decades here had been spent.

I couldn't help the sense of nostalgia that assaulted my heart as I stood at the entrance of the market. Even though I'd been booted out of the lives of the men and women I'd grown up with here, this market still held many fond memories for me, and I wouldn't let the close-minded people who didn't know how to keep their mouths shut ruin those memories.

I was ready for this. I had grown a hard skin, and my heart was stronger. I was ready for the looks, the whispers. I was ready to defend myself if need be; in fact, that was the major reason I was here today. I could have bought my vegetables elsewhere, but I chose to buy them here for one reason and one reason alone.

I was ready to show that I was a woman of my own making who they no longer had control of. I was ready to show that I was an Inuzuka and darn proud of it. I was ready to put an end to the vile rumors.

My steps were confident as I marched forward, my head held high and a large grin on my face for show. Eyes followed me as I walked, and soon enough, the whispers started. But this time, I tuned them out. I was a woman on a mission that involved far more than just a quick grocery run.

Machi and I shared a subtle grin with each other as I passed, her eyes shining in approval at what I had planned. Her mother's, however, told a different story entirely. And yet, I was not fazed by her piercing glare, as I once would have been.

I chose the stand of the woman who I knew had been one of my most vocal critics to buy my cabbage from.

"Good afternoon, Fukuda-san! Lovely weather, no?" I casually rifled through her produce, comparing and contrasting different vegetables. I flashed my teeth at her, a mix between a smirk and an overconfident and dangerous looking smile that made her shrink in on herself. "I can't say I care much for the cooler weather, but the sun is pleasant today, neh?"

I'd spent a few hours in front of the mirror perfecting the disarming smile I was now throwing her way. Kyohei had caught me practicing it in the bathroom a few nights ago, and we'd both laughed for some time. He eventually gave me a few pointers on how to look more intimidating despite how small I was.

It was a smile that many Inuzuka used as a way to say 'you _really_ don't want to mess with me, I'm your worst nightmare'. It was alarming and uncomfortable when you were the one on the receiving end of such a look, and I had set out to master it immediately the first time Hana ever used it on me when I had been joking with her about something or another.

And now I was thoroughly enjoying watching Fukuda Nao squirming under my gaze.

 _Kill them with kindness…and an Inuzuka smirk._

"Y-yes, Sasaki-san, I suppose it is. Can I help you with anything?" She stuttered cautiously, freezing when I clicked my tongue at her.

"It's Inuzuka-san now, as I'm sure you are quite aware." My grin twisted a little more as I picked up a few vegetables and dropped them into my bag, laying down some cash on her table that was more than what I knew them to cost.

"O-of course, I-"

"In fact," I interrupted, still smiling and talking straight over her with an unnerving chill to my tone now. "I'm all too certain that you are very aware of my personal life, seeming as the majority of the disturbing gossip circulating about me is coming straight from your wrinkly old mouth."

Her jaw dropped in shock at my words, seemingly unable to comprehend that I'd said such a thing so boldly to her. In traditional society, the elders were always respected, even if they were mean old witches like her, who liked to circulate rumors and destroy reputations for the fun of it.

She bristled after coming to her senses, face flushing in indignation.

"You little tart! I'm sure I have no idea what you're insinuating! If your grandfather could see you now he would be so ashamed of what you've become." She shot straight back, showing her true colors and drawing the attention of the majority of the market goers and vendors alike with her raised voice. "Get out! Don't you know you aren't welcome here anymore? I refuse to serve the likes of women like _you_!"

The last sentence was screamed in a self-righteous fit of fury, garnering even more looks and attention drawn to the both of us.

 _Good, let them watch. I knew she would get upset and cause a scene, I was counting on it. It's time to set an example._

I'd heard the rumors she had been spreading, Machi had been keeping me updated. They were hurtful at first, until I realized that those rumors would now reflect badly upon my new family. I was hurt at first, but now? Now I was angry. Now I was ready to do something about it, and I wanted to do this on my own, without help from Kyohei or anyone else.

It was time to set this straight. I would not allow this mean old woman to dishonor me or my new family any longer. It was different before, when I was just Sasaki Mari and had less of a spine than I had now, but now she would realize that I was no longer the little girl in the market. And she would soon know that her vile rumors would no longer be tolerated.

She had been telling others that I had taken many lovers to my bed for payment, and that Kyohei had been one of them. She had said that I was a floozy, and had weaseled my way into their clan by using my 'feminine charms' - and that was rephrasing it to sound far nicer than the original version. She said that my parents being ninja had to do with my bad blood, that I would only bring dishonor to whoever was involved with me. She claimed that Tsume was a lusty, bloodthirsty scoundrel, who had bewitched me with 'modern ideals', power, and money.

She claimed many things, her rumors only growing wilder and wilder with each time Machi relayed to me her newest gossip. But it was time to put an end to this. She had gone too far, and I would no longer stand for it, not when she was dragging my new family into this as well.

 _It's showtime._

"You should remember to whom you speak, Fukuda-san. Sasaki Mari might have been quiet in the face of such foul rumors or attacks against her honor, but I can assure you that _Inuzuka_ Mari is much less forgiving." I relayed, all while keeping that unnerving smile about my face.

It was suddenly quiet, and she was gaping at me, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. I continued then, sinking my point in even deeper.

"You see, I just so happen to be married to the son of the matriarch of the Inuzuka clan, which makes me a member of the head family through marriage. Your gossip about me now reflects upon them, and it will not be tolerated in the future. They are a family of honor, and I will not stand to hear their name tarnished in such a way. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded mutely, completely shocked at seeing such a commandeering side of me that she had never before witnessed in the meek and docile young girl she had watched grow up.

But I was no longer that meek and docile girl who danced to her tune.

"Good!" I chirped brightly, clapping my hands together loudly. She flinched at the sound. "Because I would hate to see what might happen if the Matriarch herself were to hear such crass rumors about her family. I doubt she would be very happy! I would be the very least of your worries if I _accidentally_ let it slip just who was spreading these lies."

I heard whispers behind me, and Nao was staring at me with wide eyes as the implications set in of what I was threatening her with.

I took the last step, nailing the last nail into the coffin of her slander.

"I am not a woman you want as an enemy." I whispered, dropping my voice low between us so that others would not hear. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say, Fukuda-san?"

"H-h-h-hai, Inuzuka-san!" She gave a deep bow, suddenly a complete turn around and much politer when she realized just what was at stake for her. "The Inuzuka family has nothing to worry about from a simple old woman like me!"

"See to it that we don't." I replied casually, repositioning my bag over my shoulder and continuing through the market. "And keep the change."

A thought occurred to me then, and I spun quickly on my heels, flashing that disturbing smile once more.

"And one more thing, Fukuda-san!" She straightened immediately, nodding vigorously. "If I hear even a word about Uzumaki Naruto being mistreated or having his name slandered here in this market, I will personally see to it that your vendor license is revoked and your business permanently shut down. Good day."

I spun again, not waiting to see her reaction this time and leaving a stunned and quiet crowd in my wake.

 _Test me, you rotten old woman, I dare you._

Perhaps I had gone a bit too far in scaring her the way I had, but I just couldn't bring myself to regret it. She was a vile woman, one who was usually the source for some of the worst rumors in civilian society, and I would no longer stand to hear my name tarnished. And hopefully she would heed my warning about Naruto, I had heard the things she said about him too, and now that I was in a position of power and higher social standing, I wanted to use that to help myself and to help others.

This trip was about far more than just buying some vegetables and flour.

I was nearly out of the market now, intent on stopping by the library to check out another book to practice my newfound reading skills, when a voice called out to me, giving me cause to stop.

"Kimari-chan, wait, please."

I stopped, slowly turning to greet the owner of the voice I recognized. It had been a while.

Keiji, the young butcher, the one who I'd almost been arranged to marry, the one who had never minded the fact that I didn't have a dowry and wanted me as a wife anyways…the one who had failed to come to my defense when the rumors started spreading.

I stayed silent, observing him carefully. He looked about as I remembered him - short black hair, classic looks, a flustered blush. But what did he want with me? He hadn't said a word when the accusations against my honor were brought up, and he hadn't stood up for me when I was shunned by our society. So, what did he want now?

"I – I just need to make sure you're okay." He murmured, flustered as usual.

But I paused, considering him curiously. Make sure I was okay? Why wouldn't I be?

"What do you mean, Keiji?" I demanded slowly, dropping the honorifics and speaking plainly. His eyes widened at my leaving out the 'kun' after his name, but he continued anyways.

"You look different, your skin is darker, are they making you to work out in the sun? It happened so fast, did he force you to marry him? Do you need money? Is that why? Why would you leave?" He asked quickly, so that each of his questions melded into each other in a frantic worry. "Please, I can help you."

I blinked in surprise, but my look of shock quickly morphed into a scowl.

 _Why is it that when a woman makes a decision for herself nobody ever thinks it was her own choice? As if we don't have the mental capacity to think for ourselves? I'm getting really tired of this._

"I'm fine." I returned in a clipped tone, annoyed that he thought I had married Kyohei for money or that Kyohei had somehow had a sword at my throat in the decision-making process. "You should go back before people start to talk about you too."

While it was true that Kyohei had made a huge mess by putting his plans into action without talking to me about them first, I had been the one to make the decision in the end, and he stood today as a man who now understood the importance of communication and consent on all platforms of interaction.

We'd made a pact, Kyohei and I, to watch out for each other in this life, to protect each other and our family, and to find the truth of why we were here. And we were going to do that side-by-side.

I'd made this decision for myself - me, and only me. I had wanted to be part of his family, so I had agreed. I had wanted his company and companionship, so I'd consented. If I hadn't wanted to be here where I stood today, as Inuzuka Mari, then I wouldn't be.

"You aren't ' _fine'_! They've poisoned your mind! Just look at you – your skin, your clothes, your hair – it's all their fault!" I felt myself slowly becoming angry, indignant that he still considered me to be some damsel in distress and the Inuzuka clan my captor. "What happened to you? You were sweet and submissive. You were supposed to be m-"

He cut himself off, a fierce blush on his cheeks. The unspoken words lingered in the air, his unfinished sentence betraying why he was truly upset. ' _You were supposed to be mine_.'

So, that's what this was about. I was supposed to be his, a deal between his father and my grandfather that had never been finalized, but one that he had been hopeful for. I was supposed to be his, traded from one household to another like livestock, with no rights and no voice.

I was supposed to be his, not my own person, not an Inuzuka, and certainly not Kyohei's mate.

"Perhaps." I replied, willing the anger out of my voice and attempting to speak levelly despite the rage I felt in my chest. _Stay calm, stay calm, stay calm._ "But I don't belong to anyone, and certainly not to you. The Inuzuka gave me an opportunity to follow my dreams. I chose them and they chose me. Please respect my decision to find my own happiness."

His eyebrows rose drastically.

"You're happy with them? After what they've done to you? They're a clan of killers and beast-lovers! Just stay, I'll help you get away from them and things can go back to normal. We can be married like your grandfather wanted!"

I felt the anger I was attempting to restrain starting to seep through.

"I can help you! I can help you get back to normal, this isn't like you. You must have been tricked, or they're keeping you against your will. We can get your marriage annulled, I'm sure the authorities will understand. The Kimari I know wouldn't act so-"

"Enough, Keiji. You are talking to somebody else's wife, and what you are suggesting is entirely inappropriate." I growled, feeling my composure slip at what he had suggested. Had he honestly thought I would run away with him? "And if I hear you say one more word against my family you will regret it. Stay away from me."

I turned again, continuing forward without looking back. And this time, he let me go.

.

* * *

.

"-and just who does he think he is, anyways? Suggesting something like that? I ought to have kicked him in the shin! I can't believe he thinks -"

Kyohei shoved another pierogi into his mouth as he watched his "wife" pace angry circles around their living room. She was venting with incredulity like some sort of angry volcano, ready to erupt and spewing thick, hot lava in every direction.

It was absolutely adorable.

He watched her mutter angrily to herself as she paused in her furious tirade and pacing to squat in front of the fire place and stoke the flames, frowning unhappily as she added another log to the fire that was warming their little home.

She so angry about what happened in the market today, but she was just so small and riled up that he couldn't help feeling amused as she continued to pace agitated circles, arms crossed tightly over her chest and bare feet plopping against the wooden floor. Small people always ended up looking cute when they were angry, and she was no exception. In fact, Kyohei was entranced as she rambled and fumed, and found himself thinking that he quite liked the way she looked in the moment.

He wasn't particularly perturbed about what had happened, he knew that the butcher posed no real threat and was just the product of how he'd been raised, another victim of that terrible traditional society. And he knew that Kimari didn't really want him to do anything about it, she just wanted to vent.

Kimari didn't need his help here, she had been able to handle it all on her own, without his interference – a fact that made him happy for her. She was doing more and more without help from others, learning to rely on herself and stand up for herself and others.

She most likely wouldn't have been able to do what she did today a few months ago, when they'd first met. She'd changed a lot since then, and was only becoming stronger in her own way. But then again, he had also changed.

He felt like a better person with her around.

"And then! Oh, do you want to know what he said next?" She continued without needing to hear any vocal affirmation from the ninja she was venting to, using a mocking tone to impersonate the butcher, dropping her own voice as low as it could go, which wasn't very low at all. "' _Oh, Kimari, run away with me, I'll save you from those evil Inuzuka!'_ Ha! Can you believe it? Did he really think I'd just up and leave you guys and go back to who he thinks I should be? The nerve of him!"

Kyohei swallowed and reached for another cabbage dumpling. They were really very good, she had once again outdone herself. Nearly everything she made was wonderful, and even though the dumplings had more of an Asian-styled twist to them than the Eastern European dumplings he remembered, they were pretty darn good.

He chewed thoughtfully as he watched her, tasting the cabbage and minced meat, as well as the spices that settled nicely on to his tongue. Delicious.

He was going to get fat with how good her cooking was, no doubt about it. He wondered for a brief moment if it was some sort of cookery magic that made her food taste so appetizing.

 _I wonder if she'd be able to make some for my team, I bet they'd really like it. They keep asking me about her, those nosy bastards._

"But I told him straight, don't you worry. I doubt any of them are going to try spreading any more rumors about us after today, not with that show I put on. And I think Keiji's learned his lesson! It was so hard to keep my cool, you don't know how badly I wanted to scream at him."

"Why didn't you?" He asked, words muffled by his mouth full of food. That was a sight he would have paid good money to see.

Kimari never screamed, and it took a lot to get her truly riled up and angry, as she now was. Maybe screaming at someone would do her some good, it might lighten the burden she had on her shoulders. But he knew it wasn't very likely, and that was based on one reason:

She stopped in her tracks, looking to him as if the answer were plain as day.

"That's bad etiquette." She replied. "And stop talking with your mouth full."

He only snorted and stuck his tongue out at her, letting her catch a full glimpse of the half-chewed food inside his mouth. She wrinkled her nose at his childlike behavior, but eventually took a tired seat at the table next to him, popping a dumpling into her mouth as well.

Even now, after becoming an Inuzuka and being freed from the stifling society she was raised in, she still talked about etiquette and propriety as if it still had a place in her life. He supposed some habits were just hard to break. But he didn't mind it, not really.

She nodded in approval at the taste of her dumplings, and threw one towards Aki's resting form, who caught it eagerly in his chops and all but swallowed it whole and began whining for another. She obliged.

Kyohei watched her warmly, a habit of his that he'd recently developed and couldn't seem to shake. Her voice seemed to fade into the background as he watched her speak animatedly.

He liked watching the funny little facial expressions she made without realizing it. He liked watching her set goals for herself and meet them without the help of others. He liked watching her with the dogs she was working with in the kennels, how her face would light up as she learned and absorbed everything Hana had to teach her.

She continued talking, unaware that he was no longer listening. His attention had transferred instead to a crumb on her lower lip that she didn't realize was there. Without thinking about it, he reached out and ran his thumb over the soft skin of her lip to brush the crumb away. He knew she didn't like messes, especially not on her person.

A knock on the window snapped him out of his stupor, and just like that, the spell was broken. He was suddenly very aware of the contact between them, of how intimate a gesture it was.

She had brushed things from his face before, like some sort of mother hen. Kyohei was quite the messy eater, and it drove her crazy. But this was different, somehow. Something felt different. He couldn't really place what that might be, but he found himself thinking that perhaps he ought not have done that.

He let his hand drop to his side, breaking eye contact with the startled young woman next to him as he quickly stood at the summons, glad for the escape. Her cheeks were turning the prettiest shade of pink he'd ever seen as he rounded the table and headed towards the signal that was being knocked on the window pane.

Why had he done that?

He wasn't quite sure. It was almost as if he'd moved on instinct, as if he'd been pulled to her like a magnet. He hadn't meant to make things awkward.

He shook his head, attempting to dislodge the troublesome thoughts from his skull.

There were more serious things to focus on at the moment. He was certain that was ANBU Rat knocking on his window, if his nose and sensory abilities hadn't failed him, and that could only mean one thing.

A mission, and a sudden one at that.

He gave Kimari an apologetic look, and she quickly caught the underlying message he was sending her. He needed to speak to the summoner privately. She stood, nodding quietly and retreating towards their bedroom. It was more for show than anything, he would tell her everything later.

He opened the window when he heard the door click shut.

"Rat." Kyohei acknowledged his subordinate tiredly. He had been really looking forward to a good night's sleep, but it looked like that was no longer an option for this evening. "How long should I pack for?"

"A week at the most, it's a scouting mission. There's a new lead." The Nara behind the mask replied, tone still somewhat lazy despite the urgency of the mission. "Hokage-sama instructed you to burn the contents of the scroll containing the mission parameters after you're done reading it. We rendezvous at the checkpoint four kilometers east of the village in an hour."

And with that, he was gone.

A new lead? It was sudden, and he was willing to bet anything the Hokage was sending them on this mission before consulting the council. The council had convened for the day hours ago, which was convenient timing for the Hokage.

Kyohei frowned, closing the window and drawing the curtains as he broke the seal on the scroll. He'd never been instructed to burn his instructions before. Usually they were kept for confidential records.

Kimari slipped back into the living room as he read over the contents of the scroll, the instructions routine and normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

"How long?" She asked, and he didn't need to look up to see the worried look on her face – he could hear the anxiousness in her voice.

"A week, give or take." He mumbled as he scanned the scroll, eyes narrowing upon a hand-written note at the bottom of the document.

It looked as though it had come from the Hokage's own hand.

' _Remember to look underneath the underneath. Not all is as it seems.'_

Kimari mouthed the words slowly to herself, stumbling upon two or three symbols of kanji before she deciphered the meaning of the message inside her mind.

"What does that mean?" She asked slowly. "I remember that line, but what is it referencing?"

Kyohei folded the scroll back up, immediately moving to drop it into the fireplace. They watched together as the scroll withered and gave way to the flames, shriveling in to itself until only ash was left.

He was silent a moment longer before he spoke, the words heavy on his tongue.

"It's a warning of some sort, I'm sure of it." He murmured, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder when he saw her tense at his words. "I think that there's probably more to this mission than what's on the surface."

He watched the flames lick at the logs, and in his peripherals he saw her face scrunch in concentration.

"But why would the Hokage go so far as to give you a secret warning? And so cryptic too…" She trailed off uncertainly.

Kyohei took a breath, exhaling slowly. Something wasn't sitting quite right with him about all of this, something was off, and it looked as though Kimari also sensed it.

"I guess I'll find out." He turned, making his way towards their bedroom so he could seal some things into a scroll for his trip.

His mind was spinning, formulating many possibilities of what such a message could mean, but he focused on grabbing his ANBU uniforms, rations, medical kit, and the normal list of supplies he usually sealed away to take with him. He could speculate later, but for now orders were orders, and he had less than an hour to get to the rendezvous point.

Kimari followed, rubbing her hands together uncertainly.

"Will it be safe?"

He sent her a wry glance.

"Nothing about what I do is safe, you know that." He said sternly. He wouldn't lie to her. But he did add the next phrase for her ease of mind. "But I'll be careful, I always am. You make sure to be careful too, this message could mean a number of things. Go straight to Tsume if anything happens."

"I will." She nodded quickly before disappearing.

When she returned it was with the rest of their dumplings wrapped nicely in a little cloth bundle.

"Take these too, you didn't finish dinner."

He accepted them with a small smile of thanks, adding them to a pile of things to seal away.

Within minutes he was changed out of his lounging clothes and into his ANBU uniform, and Aki was prowling about the living room, anxious to get going. He gave her one long look as he fastened his two kodachi on his back, the sharp blades gleaming as he sheathed them.

No words were exchanged this time when he left, it seemed that neither he nor the young woman knew just what to say. Instead, she dipped her head slowly before lifting it up, jutting her chin out like she always did when she wanted to appear stronger than she actually felt.

He returned the nod, gaze now firm and serious like hers, devoid of the usual teasing attitude he usually carried.

And then, with the help of a quick shunshin, he and Aki vanished.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N – Introducing…*drum roll*… Kyohei's ANBU squad! Nara Takamori, Hyuuga Shige, and Kido Yui! You may also ask them questions on Kyohei and Kimari's Tumblr blog :)**

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* * *

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"C'mon, Kimari, we don't have all day!" Hana sang merrily as she entered the examination room of the clinic, her cheery tone carrying the subtle hint of an underlying threat to it.

I glared down at my notes in frustration, silently willing my eyes and right hand to move a little faster in order to comply with Hana's request.

But I couldn't help it, I was still a slow reader and my writing skills were still shaky. I was much better than I had been before and even checked all the boxes for literacy now, but I moved at a snail's pace. To have my sister-in-law breathing down my neck didn't make things any better.

"You have five more exams to run through. I'll need you to do mine as well; I have to leave to help Takeo and Mimi. It's time." She explained quickly, packing a few things into a tote to take with her.

My head perked up from my notes at her words.

"Oh, good!" I exclaimed, my frustrations with pen and paper now forgotten completely. "I hope it goes well. I'll finish up your work here, don't worry. Let me know if you need anything else."

She gave a grateful nod and was gone not long after. This was a good thing, it meant that Takeo's ninken partner was getting ready to deliver her litter of pups. There had been some complications, and I was glad that Hana would be able to be there to help and lend her expertise.

Even after a few weeks of working with Hana in the clinic and kennels, I was still astounded at just how deep her knowledge of the medical and veterinary sciences went. She could very well have been considered a genius in her own right, and the fact that she was also a formidable kunoichi was astounding to think about. She was a driven woman, and one that I looked up to.

I turned back to my notes after watching her leave, scribbling in messy kanji that I was still perfecting to take down the details of my last exam. Hana now let me conduct all of the first rounds of examinations before she came to do the actual check-up, and I wanted to make sure all the notes were perfect for her when she got back.

The exams were simple, just a standard wellness exam before Hana came in to see to whatever problem had brought an animal to her clinic.

I snapped my journal shut upon finishing, calling for the next animal to be brought in. It was a ninken-kunoichi duo this time, and her ninken partner looked to be limping somewhat.

"Oh, you're Kimari, right?" The woman said with a small grin, and I racked my brain trying to remember what her name might be. It was a familiar face, but I couldn't quite remember the name that accompanied it. "I'm Harumi, we met at the party. This is Hatsumomo. She's got a sprain, I think."

"Ah, that's right. Forgive me, I'm still putting names to faces here." I replied sheepishly, pulling out all the tools needed for the wellness exam and placing them on the table.

"Don't worry about it!" She assured me with a strong laugh, clapping my back as she passed by me to help Hatsumomo onto the exam table. I nearly fell off my seat at the force of the contact. "How're things going for you? Are you liking the work here with Hana? Speaking of, where is she?"

"I'm settling in well, thank you for asking. I like the work quite a bit!" I replied politely, which she seemed to think was funny for whatever reason. "And Hana should be back in a few hours, she's helping Takeo and Mimi. Are you ready to get started, Hatsumomo?"

The dog in question only huffed in good nature before settling down onto the table.

I began the exam, slowly going through each step and paying close attention to the details, just as Hana had taught me.

The exams always started with recording outward and bodily vitals, and Hana would come back later to check the tenketsu and chakra flow of any ninken patients. I nodded in approval as I studied Hatsumomo's vitals, all of which were perfect.

I brought my hands up to the snout, placing one hand to feel the huffing of air being exhaled and comparing it with what I felt with my other hand that was monitoring the beating of her heart. _Normal and healthy, good._

Next came the stethoscope, to monitor heart palpitations and make sure that the pulses were well synchronized with the heartbeat. Shifting the stethoscope almost imperceptibly while positioning my fingers precisely, as I had watched Hana do many times over now, I was able to feel how quickly the mucous membranes were refilling.

After that I felt along her body, bending joints and flexing muscles, making sure to note the inflammation and small yip that resulted when flexing one of her front paws. I compared it to the examples of other sprains or torn ligaments or broken bones that I had seen so far, and I felt sure that Harumi was correct, and that it was a sprain. Hana would need to make that final call, however.

Then came the testing of the belly, where I checked for masses or organ tenderness, then the lymphnodes, to check for any swelling.

Finally came the neurological portion of the exam, where I monitored reflexes and basic responses. Within fifteen minutes the exam was completed, and I was recording all my findings and compiling them for Hana to use later.

It was wonderful to think that I could do this much, that I could still be useful and excel in this field without being able to use iryo-ninjutsu. I was learning quickly, and I hoped to advance quickly as well.

"So, what's the verdict?" Called Harumi casually, leaning against the wall and picking at some dirt under her nails.

"I'd have to agree with you that it's a sprain, but Hana will still need to look her over. I've filed the initial exam results for now, but you'll need to wait until Hana is back for any iryo-ninjutsu treatments. Just have her rest until then and keep pressure off the paw." I informed her dutifully, to which she nodded, seeming to have expected the answer.

"Alright, then. I'll give her something for the pain and bring her back later today." She turned towards the door after having helped Hatsumomo off the table. "You're doing great, Kimari, keep up the good work!" She called behind her.

I flushed at the compliment, smiling giddily to myself once the door was closed.

It felt good, to help people and animals this way. To help, to have purpose, to contribute something meaningful – it was something I'd been desperate for all those years I sold vegetables in the market, all while dreaming of something greater. Hana and Kyohei had no idea just how special this was for me, no idea how much I cherished this knowledge and opportunity.

I was so happy, so grateful that Kyohei had talked to Hana about this for me, convincing her that I had what it took to become a veterinarian. I doubted he knew how happy he'd made me with this.

I let my thoughts drift to Kyohei as I filled out my report for Hana.

He had been gone for many days now, and I continued to worry through the days and evenings. I prayed for his safety, now more than ever. Something about that strange message from the Hokage left me feeling unsettled, suspicious of the possibility of foul play or unforeseen circumstances.

As far as we knew, nothing like this had happened in the original plot we remembered. And, as always, I had to continuously remind myself that just because we never _saw_ it happen in the manga or show, doesn't mean it _didn't_ happen on the sidelines. There was also the possibility that things would not pan out the way we remembered, or that our memory of the plot was incorrect or fading, or even that our presence here might affect the timeline of events to create ripples that would eventually transform into waves. And those were waves that could change everything we were familiar with. It was a horrible thought to think about.

The possibilities were endless, and I had spent the last few nights pacing the floors in an empty house as I thought through them and worried for Kyohei. Naruto had stayed with me last night, and even he was concerned after seeing me so jumpy and quiet. But I just couldn't help it.

As a civilian, there was so much that was out of my control. And not to say that I couldn't influence things here, or that I had no power whatsoever, but it was a very different world I lived in compared to that of Kyohei's or Naruto's. So, the most I could do at times like these were sit and wait, wait to see how events unfolded and base my decisions off of the results.

' _Look underneath the underneath. Things are not always as they seem.'_

What could that mean? Why did he send Kyohei that message? Why make sure that Kyohei's squad received it before the sudden mission? Had the same message been sent to all ANBU or shinobi, or just a select few? Why so cryptic? Was the Hokage aware of something we were not? Was there any danger looming on the horizon besides what we remembered of the plot? Would things change, would they stay the same?

I had no idea.

I felt the deep sense of foreboding on the horizon, like dark storm clouds billowing and threatening trouble. I may not have been an Inuzuka, born with a keen sense of intuition and superior instincts, but I had a gut feeling that something big was coming.

Perhaps I was just worrying too much. Kyohei and I had been obsessing and planning about what we ought to do during the Chuunin Exams, but had yet to formulate a plan of action that would not draw suspicion and keep me out of any danger. We had thought to talk about it the night he had been summoned away for a mission, intent on finalizing and sticking to one of our many ideas, but we had been interrupted and now he was gone on some secret mission.

None of it felt right, especially with the tensions in our own village.

There were foreign ninja arriving to the village now, more and more coming each day. The exams were set to start in just a few short weeks, and many of the foreign shinobi arrived early.

Kyohei said this was common, so that the participants of the exams could get a good idea of what their opponents looked like, what type of terrain they might be fighting in, and what jutsus would be best suited for the environments and opponents. It was customary to arrive a few weeks early because of those reasons.

But it felt strange to have them here. They were different, and many times not in a good way. Many of the shinobi that hailed from villages that had once been our enemies in previous wars were purposefully intimidated civilians or attempted to pick fights with our shinobi forces, knowing that the Hokage had ordered a stance of non-aggression and they couldn't fight back if provoked. They pushed the envelope, and they roamed the streets of Konoha as they pleased.

In the mornings and afternoons, when the village allotted time for the foreign ninja to use the training grounds, it was often we heard the sounds of loud fights or saw smoke coming from that direction as they practiced techniques that I felt certain were being exhibited to intimidate our villagers, to instill a sense of fear in our citizens at seeing the destruction. It was an intimidation tactic, and one that was working.

I had begun to limit my trips out of the compound, only really leaving when Naruto wanted to go for ramen or when I had to buy groceries. Many of these ninja were trouble, and I felt uncomfortable around them, especially knowing that the ninja that wore the headbands from Suna were traitors, and were only here to advance Orochimaru's plans for destruction.

There were still a few weeks until the exams took place, but I had never realized such a tense environment would precede it.

What was more, I had caught my first glimpse of Kabuto since learning about my origins here.

I knew it would happen again eventually, he had not defected yet, after all. But I had hardly been able to control myself upon seeing him, especially now that I knew that Orochimaru was most likely still looking for Kyohei and I, as well as the three others out there - if he hadn't found them already.

I'd seen Kabuto a few times around the village growing up and had always remained wary, but I had never had a reason to fear him so greatly as I now did. Now that Kyohei and I knew that we had been brought here by one of Orochimaru's experiments things were different. If he found out that I was one of the failed experiments, it would be game over for us.

It was hard to keep my composure knowing that I was one of the lost and failed experiments that he and his master were looking for. It kept me up at night to think that Kabuto was here as a spy, and that I was hiding in plain sight, right under his nose. One wrong move, one tiny little slip and it would all end.

The glimpse had been brief, and I felt certain he hadn't really noticed me as I blended in easy with the crowd with my common looks and meager chakra reserves. Never before had I been as grateful as I had been yesterday that I'd been born looking so normal.

I still felt on edge, even a day later, and I tried not to leave the compound often unless it was for necessities like groceries. I would keep my public presence to a minimum until the Sound and Sand invasion was done and over.

And there was much to plan for until that happened.

If I left the village, it could look suspiciously timed. If I stayed, I would be in danger like everyone else. If I told anybody or hinted at having knowledge of the events to take place I would find myself either executed for spying and treason or have my mind walked by a Yamanaka – neither of which were an avenue I had any interest in taking.

I pondered all of this as I continued conducting my exams and filing reports for Hana.

Things were going to get complicated, of that I had no doubt.

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* * *

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"He's so small." I breathed in wonder, watching as Hana performed her standard iryo-ninjutsu diagnostics on the smallest little pup I'd ever seen.

Hana had returned from helping Mimi and Takeo not too long ago, but she had returned with a tiny pup bundled against her chest. A runt, one that didn't look as though it stood the best chance at survival.

"Too small. I doubt he'll make it through the night." Hana said sadly, picking up the newborn puppy and placing it in a small box that had a fuzzy blanket on the inside. "We can make him comfortable, at least."

 _The poor thing._

This little one was a runt in a litter of five other healthy pups that Mimi had delivered a few hours ago. He was much too small, however, and one of his front legs was slightly deformed and shorter than the rest. He had not even the strength to latch on to his mother's nipple, cast off to the side as the others fed.

It seemed that Mimi had already come to the conclusion that there was no help to be had for the smallest of the litter, and had not deemed him worthy of care. She had not helped him to latch, nor had she provided him with warmth.

But that was the nature of many animals, where 'survival of the fittest' took place over motherly affection and instinct. He had been removed from the others, and was now being made comfortable in one of the exam rooms at the clinic, where Hana seemed sure he would soon breathe the last breath of an incredibly short life.

"There's really nothing we can do?" I asked sadly, frustrated that nature could be so unfair to a small, helpless thing like him.

"You can stay with him if you want." She replied, eyes downcast in disappointment at the thought of losing this pup. "Keep him warm and comfortable. But his chance of survival is almost nonexistent."

"Almost? You mean he could live?" My question was hopeful, and I did not see the sad shake of her head, my eyes glued to the shivering little creature in the box.

"I doubt it. But if you want to try then I won't stop you. Just don't get too worked up if he doesn't make it, okay?" She advised, as she shrugged her white doctors coat off her shoulders to replace it with her flak jacket. "You should go home and eat dinner first, though. I worked you through lunch so I know you must be tired and hungry. If you don't want to stay I'll take him home so he can pass there."

"I'm going to stay then, if that's okay." I ignored her advice to go and get dinner, I could eat later.

I wouldn't forgive myself if the little one died while I was eating a warm meal in the comfort of my home. Even if he didn't make it, even if he did succumb to the laws of nature tonight, I wanted to be here when that happened. I wanted to keep him warm and comfortable until he passed. Nobody deserved to die alone.

But, until then, I was going to do everything within my power to make sure this pup lived.

Hana shrugged, signifying that it didn't matter to her if I stayed or not. I supposed it didn't really matter if he died here or in Hana's care at home, but at least I'd be closer to medical supplies if I needed them here.

"Good luck, I'll see you tomorrow."

I waved halfheartedly at her, already running through my plan of action.

From what I had studied, and from learning from Hana, I knew that the two biggest issues were going to be warmth and hydration. Beyond that, I wasn't sure. I didn't have Hana's level of expertise yet, but I would just have to do my best with what knowledge I did have.

I rustled through the cabinets in the office, and then in the back storage room until I found what I was looking for: puppy milk substitute and a bottle. The can of substitute formula didn't have instructions on it, so I was left to mix it to what I suspected would be the right ratio of powder to warm water and hoped for the best.

When I returned to the exam room, I was worried to find that the runt was still shivering, despite the extra blanket I had placed on top.

"You still aren't warm enough?" I asked softly, debating upon what to do.

 _When humans get too cold, don't they say skin-to-skin contact and body heat is the best way to warm up? I wonder if that would work…_

It was worth a shot.

I unbuttoned my shirt partially, carefully picking up the little pup to place it between my collar bone and breast. I sat, leaning back and then buttoning a button on my shirt so that he was held in place.

It felt awkward, and I sincerely hoped that nobody would find now a good time to come and check on me. But within a few minutes, the desperate shivering had ceased. I wrapped another blanket around my chest and shoulders for good measure, intent on keeping him as warm as possible.

I hummed quietly to myself, hugging the pup against my skin as the time began to pass. When he was finally warm enough it seemed as though he had no trouble at all accepting the tiny bottle of puppy formula that I brought up to his snout. Eventually, he had his fill, and gave a small yawn.

I felt somewhat antsy, however, unable to stop doubting what I was doing. I had a sinking suspicion that there was something I had skipped, and I racked my brain trying to figure out what I was missing.

I'd helped to bring his body temperature up and was regulating it with my own. He had been fed, cleaned, and hydrated. I felt fairly certain the ratio I'd used for the formula substitute had been correct. So, what had I missed?

 _Oh! That's right, I need to help him poop._

I wrinkled my nose at the idea, remembering the information that Hana had shared about a week ago. Apparently, newborn pups could not answer the call of nature by themselves and required stimulation of their behinds to be able to defecate. The mother of the litter would usually accomplish this by licking the ends of her newborn pups, and that would be enough to help them move things along themselves.

"Sorry, little guy." I laughed softly. "I'm not going to lick your rear end. Although…maybe a wet cotton ball would do the trick? I think I remember Hoaya saying something about that before." I thought aloud, speaking more to myself than to the dog cradled against my chest.

It was a good a guess as any.

And, to my surprise, it worked. Within a minute of awkwardly beginning to brush a damp cotton ball on the area directly under his tail, we got the results I had been hoping for.

I only wished I had thought to put something under him beforehand. I hadn't been sure that it would work, so I didn't think about the mess. And boy, was there a mess alright.

"If I'm cleaning up your messes than you had better live, you hear me?" I grumbled lightly as I tossed the soiled towel into the waste bin, though I didn't truly mean it.

The puppy against my chest wheezed in response, some sort of cross between a whine and something that sounded vaguely like bronchitis. Either way, it didn't sound promising.

"You just focus on getting well, okay? Kyohei has a Ninken that can be your friend. Aki's really great, I think you'll like him a lot."

I quieted then, my thoughts once again bordering towards the darker side of things.

In order for Kyohei and Aki to meet this little guy, he had to survive. But, on the contrasting side of the spectrum, so did they. But they would, wouldn't they?

I shuddered, thinking again of the Hokage's message, the tense situation here in the village with all the foreign ninja, and the ominous feeling that I just couldn't seem to shake.

 _Come home soon, Kyohei. Please be okay._

.

* * *

.

Kyohei was not okay. He was not okay at all.

His gut was coiled in apprehension, and his orders tasted like poison in his mouth as he made the call to keep pushing forward, further into the contested land claims between _Kaze no Kuni_ and _Hi no Kuni_.

The forces from the Land of Wind were pushing their borders and annexing parts of the Land of Rivers into their growing territory, taking land that didn't belong to them and claiming it as their own. Technically, the land they were travelling through to get to the desert belonged to the Land of Rivers, but Suna had recently begun military occupation in certain areas, effectively expanding their borders and their resources as a result.

But he didn't give a damn about the politics of it in that moment.

He knew something was wrong. He could tell that there was something amiss, something on the horizon. His instincts never failed him, and he doubted they were wrong this time either. But he couldn't abort a mission based on a gut feeling, no matter how much he wanted to.

When the scent he'd been tracking with his team slipped beyond their borders and into the contested lands on the border of River and Wind, he had been presented with a choice. There were many treaties between the lands of River and Fire, which allowed them to pass between borders as they pleased. But no such luck with the Land of Wind.

If ANBU were discovered on the wrong side of the border, it would be considered an act of aggression. But the Hokage had been very clear that this lead must be followed anywhere it fled, and they'd been tracking this scent the last few days.

He wasn't sure why the Hokage would risk the already strenuous relations with Suna to have his team track this lead. He wasn't so sure what was so important about this time in particular that he would have them violate the flimsy peace treaty between the two nations.

Nothing about this sat right with him, but orders were orders, and he had made the decision to keep pressing further into foreign territory to find their target. So, he gave the call to proceed anyways, keeping with the orders the Hokage had given him.

They travelled for some time, and eventually the terrain shifted as they pushed further behind a border they shouldn't have crossed. The tall, thick trees he was so familiar with became thinner, shorter, and more shrub-like. The humidity in the air slowly seemed to evaporate the further they went, until the air was dry and friction induced static. The temperature warmed, and the rich and dark soils slowly gave way to red clay, and then to sand.

Their cloaking jutsus were up, and ANBU Hawk, better known as Hyuuga Shige, had his Byakugan activated. Kyohei had gone over strategy with ANBU Rat, also known as Nara Takamori, until he felt like he was prepared for any scenario. Even still, Kyohei remained on edge.

It was only midday, too soon to stop and make camp for the night. The sun was blazing overhead, giving neither him nor his subordinates a break in their dark uniforms, and they could only continue forward.

The hours passed slowly, and he was all too aware of it.

They had done well so far to evade some scouting teams from Suna, as well as the border patrol and lookout posts, but Kyohei really didn't want to linger any longer than necessary. The sooner they tracked this scent to where the Hokage feared that Orochimaru might have set up a new underground bunker and laboratory, the better.

Reports from their spies had shown he had been sighted behind the border of Wind, and Kyohei was positive he had picked up on a familiar scent or two that he'd committed to memory from the last time they found an abandoned bunker.

Orochimaru had been here, of that much he was certain. The villain could mask his chakra, but a scent was much harder to get away with. Even if the snake was disguising himself or using another body, the faint stench of something distinctly unnatural could be detected by a select few of the best trackers – and Kyohei was one of the best. There were a few other familiar scents as well, and he was curious to find who they belonged to. His guess was some of the Oto-nin, but he'd have to wait and see.

A scent was no good unless you knew who it belonged to, anyways. He could recognize familiar scents and distinguish between male, female, young, and old, but unless he had a face to match it to it did him no good.

He stopped abruptly when it happened, calling a sharp order to halt their journey. He hadn't expected it, and he was now even more on edge.

His team gathered around him as they came into a standard formation.

"Hare-taichou?" ANBU Badger asked, her voice questioning his actions quietly.

He took a few whiffs of the air, mentally asking Aki if he'd picked up on anything. When Aki gave him the negative response he hadn't hoped to hear he scowled behind his Hare mask.

"The scent." He started, voice tired and gravelly. "It vanished. Or changed somehow, I'm not sure."

"Should we turn back?" Asked ANBU Badger, or, as she was known behind the mask, Kido Yui.

"Hokage-sama gave strict orders to see this mission through until completion." Reminded ANBU Rat, though his tone betrayed how eager he was to head back home as well. "What a drag, I can't believe we came so far just to have a lead fall through. We can't go home yet either, not without information."

"How are we supposed to see it through if there's no scent to follow?" ANBU Badger argued back in a hushed tone that held a subtle hint of panic he hadn't heard in her before. "We shouldn't even be here, it's violating the peace treaty!"

"Enough." Kyohei reprimanded. "We're behind what might as well be enemy lines. Stick to the field signing codes to communicate. I don't want to take any chances."

ANBU Hawk stiffened then, drawing attention to his form.

' _Four figures are heading northwest, all shinobi with powerful chakra reserves.'_ ANBU Hawk signed quickly, fingers moving faster than what the untrained eye would have been able to catch.

' _Will they intercept us? Should we prepare for combat?'_ Kyohei replied, his own fingers matching the quick speed.

' _No, their trajectory is fifteen degrees off from ours. Combat is unnecessary.'_ An inaudible sigh of relief was collective. Fighting behind a foreign border was never ideal. Fighting behind foreign borders when you weren't supposed to be there in the first place and were violating a delicate peace treaty was even less ideal. _'Taichou, they left a body behind.'_

Kyohei stilled.

In another scenario, he would have given the order to follow and intercept the team of ninja, but that was not the best idea when behind a border you didn't have the permission to be behind. They couldn't risk letting Suna know that their village was violating the peace agreements between their lands.

And besides, it was often that a corpse could carry many secrets. They might still find something useful from the body that had been carelessly left behind. If the victim was a ninja, they'd be in luck, even a corpse was better than returning to the Hokage empty handed.

But could the death of whoever had been killed be the reason behind the strange way the scent they were tracking had vanished, only to be replaced by another? Could this be a lead towards finding the new hideout?

There was only one way to find out.

' _Let's check it out. Crescent formation with Hawk in the lead.'_

They sprung forward, their small team of four plus Aki, expertly masking chakra so as to not to be detected by foreign ninja. Guided by the Hyuuga among them, they were able to move ahead without being intercepted by the foreign threat, racing over shifting sand dunes that reflected the heat of the sun overhead.

' _Fresh blood. New kill. Aki smells.'_ His large ninken partner communicated with him as they barreled over sand dunes.

It took Kyohei a few moments longer before he could smell it as well. Aki was indeed correct, the blood was fresh, most likely still flowing from recently inflicted wounds that had ended the life of the victim.

 _At least we'll finally find some answers here. Was this what you wanted us to find, Hokage-sama? Is this why you sent us here?_

He had his answer when they found the body.

The facts, along with the many new questions, quickly came together in his mind when they found the corpse. The meddling from Orochimaru, the strange and cryptic message of a Hokage who seemed to be omniscient in some ways, the sudden mission and increasingly hostile relations between the lands of Wind and Fire that transcended what he remembered – it all intersected here.

In-between two sand dunes with fresh blood still seeping from recently inflicted wounds and a mouth hanging open like a puppet that these lands were famous for, was the body of the Kazekage.

Kyohei took a step back, grinding his teeth in frustration.

No. This wasn't right. It couldn't be.

 _This wasn't how it happened. Nobody found out that the Kazekage had been murdered and impersonated until the final rounds of the Chuunin Exams. This is too soon. No teams from Konoha ever saw the body, at least not that we know of. This isn't following the timeline I remember._

And what was more, the Hokage himself had sent them in secrecy, most likely without the authority of the council. That could only mean that the Hokage had either coordinated a coincidence of epic proportion, or that he had somehow obtained prior knowledge or suspicion to suspect Orochimaru was behind the aggressive actions that the Village Hidden in the Sands had recently been taking.

But what Kyohei didn't know was just how much the Hokage knew, or how he had come to know it. In the original plot that Kyohei was familiar with, word had never reached the Hokage that the Kazekage was actually Orochimaru in disguise, and that had ultimately led to his death. No teams from Konoha had ever discovered what they had just found.

However, if a team of ANBU _had_ found the body and put the pieces together in the original plot, that team hadn't made it back alive to inform the Hokage of the impending danger.

One thing was certain out of the many horrors that came from this turn of events: the Hokage knew more than what he was letting on, and he knew more in this timeline than had in the plot of the original series.

Things were changing.

The plot was deviating from what he knew, leaving him in uncharted waters, dark and deep. Kyohei had always wondered if such a day would ever come, and had tried to prepare himself.

But the day had come, and he was not prepared. All he felt was terror – for himself, and for Kimari. A deviation from the storyline they knew meant that they no longer had the upper hand, they no longer had the blessing of foresight.

And if this detail had changed, what else would follow? Would it just be a small blip in the plotline they knew to have things return to normal afterwards? Would it set off a chain of events that took history in another direction than what it was supposed to take? Would he still be able to keep Kimari, his family, and his village safe if it did?

He had no solid answers for the first time in a very long time.

He felt his stomach sinking as he watched a bug crawl across the face of the deceased kage.

What was he to make of this? There were too many unknowns at this time to come to a conclusion, too many loose ends or pieces to the story that didn't match. The only thing that he was certain of, however, was that he needed to call off the mission, and he needed to do that _now_.

Forget the underground bunker, forget the Hokage's strange orders. He would not let his squad die out here, and he would not fail in making sure this information got back to Konoha in time.

"Taichou!" ANBU Hawk called suddenly, breaking Kyohei's previous command for silence. His head snapping toward the east and he spoke with urgency in his tone. "Five foreign ninja approaching from the east! They will arrive soon, they're moving fast!"

Kyohei felt his fists curl into tight balls at his sides.

He should have given the order to follow the squad that had killed the Kazekage instead of walking straight into the trap that had been set for them. The ones who had killed the kage would have had to have been Oto-nin, and they most likely would have known about his squad's presence here.

And how very convenient that the Oto-nin had fled the scene to allow his squad to find the body, almost as if they had known somehow what option he would choose given the circumstances and the need to avoid foreign ninja. _Almost as if they knew what our mission parameters were._ How convenient as well that Suna-nin had been so quick to arrive after them, almost as if they had been alerted beforehand.

He'd been played, and so had the Hokage.

Somebody had orchestrated this, knowing that the Hokage would follow this lead and send an ANBU team to investigate. It was a trap, a very detailed one that would have required what might just be years of preparation and planning.

They hadn't left behind a body because they were careless, they'd left it behind to frame his team for a crime they had not committed.

Now, when the ninja forces from Suna arrived to find their kage dead at the feat of ANBU from Konoha, who didn't have permission to be behind their borders in the first place, what were they to assume?

Most likely not enough time to seal the body in a scroll, and the forever shifting sands would certainly expose the corpse in no time. Their outlook was not good.

"Don't tell me…" The Nara on their team mumbled angrily, having also put all the pieces together. "What a pain. And we're outnumbered too."

"Taichou, what are your orders? A retreat is possible, but the desert provides little camouflage and there is a sensor on their team, it is likely they will sense us before we disappear from view, even with a cloaking jutsu. Combat is unavoidable in any scenario." The Hyuuga questioned harshly as he informed them of their odds.

 _So, we can stay here and fight, or retreat and fight later…_

"How far until we reach a terrain that evens the playing grounds, Hawk?" Kyohei demanded. "We're outnumbered here, and they have the upper hand in this environment."

"Around thirty minutes at top speeds, the border of the desert gives way to grasslands. There are trees casting shadows that Rat can utilize, and a spring for water-based jutsus that Badger can make use of. The area is favorable for a successful outcome."

"Access to water is good." Piped up Yui. "I've just mastered a new mist jutsu, if I can manage to make it heavy enough it might make any sand jutsus weaker in the humid air. A spring gives me more opportunity for water-based jutsu and lets me make camouflage for us, which will put Taichou and Hawk at an advantage since they don't need to see to attack."

That much was true. If Yui could manage to make a mist screen thick enough, it would put him and Hyuuga Shige at an immense advantage.

The Byakugan would have no trouble seeing through it, and Kyohei and Aki could rely on their noses, they had done so many times before. Trees in the area also casted more shadows that Takamori could use to trap a target before Kyohei and Aki ripped their throats out or Shige ruptured all their tenketsu.

That was how it usually went, anyways. Having a Nara on his team almost seemed like fighting dirty, and it made battles easy to win. It was often that Takamori would remain hidden somewhere out of sight, casting his shadows from the shadows and ensnaring victims in his family's jutsu like some sort of spider. Then either Shige or Kyohei would come in to finish the job.

Having Yui as a new addition was also very helpful. She had a water affinity, which was somewhat rare in Konoha and even more rare amongst the desert-dwellers, and that opened many opportunities for their squad's attack plans. If she truly _had_ mastered the mist jutsu, then that would be a valuable asset.

But if Shige was right, and there was a sensor on the foreign team, that would make things harder.

"You're all forgetting one thing." Spoke up Nara Takamori once more, voice stark. "If we retreat it gives them time to do the same. They'll send a few men back to their village to tell them that ANBU from Leaf assassinated their Kazekage. If we retreat, we won't be able to eliminate that chance. But if we stay and face them head on here to stop word getting back to Suna, there's a good chance we'll lose this battle and our lives."

Yui swallowed harshly, the Badger mask hiding what he felt sure was a look of uncertainty. She was their youngest, only fifteen and a fresh recruit. This was only her eleventh mission on his squad after being transferred under his command.

 _If we try fighting them in the sands to stop the information from getting to Suna, we lose that battle and our lives. They have more men and a better advantage in the sand. We'll have to let them go with the information, that's the only way we stand a chance at winning in combat and getting this information back to the Hokage. Konoha's going to take the fall for this either way, so I might as well make sure my squad lives and the Hokage gets his damn information._

"But-" Kyohei finally started, prepared to give the order he had decided on. "Either option we choose has the same outcome in the end. We're about to start a war, whether we make it back to the village alive or die here trying to stop the informants."

He sighed, resisting the urge to agree with the Nara that this was, indeed, a drag. He continued quickly, noting that they were running out of time.

"This was obviously a trap. Even if we do manage to kill the informants and get home alive, the people who set this up will still find a way to blame our village for it. Tensions between our lands are higher than they've been in a long time, it wouldn't take much to convince Suna that Konoha had a role in the assassination. The outcome is the same no matter what option we take. Whoever set this up is going to get the war they wanted."

Takamori nodded, having already strategized that far ahead and come to the same conclusion.

"We'll retreat and fight them on better terrain. Our priority has to be getting this information back to the village as quickly as we can. the Hokage must know what happened here, and that means we need to get back alive." Nods went up all around, accepting his orders in agreement.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't – that was their current reality and the nature of the decision he had to make.

Then, a thought hit him. A horrible thought that made his eyes widen behind the mask. And suddenly, the last piece of the puzzle clicked into place.

"We need to move fast. The village could be in danger." He ordered, almost breathlessly as he struggled with the idea.

"Oh Kami, the village-" Yui began in horror, only to be cut off by Takamori when she couldn't finish the sentence.

"-Is filled with foreign ninja from Suna and villages that are likely to ally with Suna in the case that a war was ever declared." The calculative Nara speculated. "A perfect time to launch an invasion, wouldn't you say?"

His heart clenched as the faces of his family, friends, and Kimari flashed through his mind, all sitting ducks inside the village.

But this wasn't right, none of this had ever happened, at least not this way and certainly not at this point in time. He had been thoroughly unprepared for this outcome, sure that the village was secure until the beginning of the Chuunin Exams after learning that Orochimaru had been sighted far away from them.

 _This wasn't how it happened. What the hell is going on? Why set us up so that war can be declared? Why? Who was behind this? Orochimaru? Madara? Danzo? Who?!_

The village was teeming with foreign ninja who were arriving to take the Chuunin Exams, ninja from lands that had reason to ally with Suna in any sort of war, ninja who wouldn't hesitate to attack their forces and civilians if the call was given. They would be well-positioned inside the village, and the village gates were wide open for them to launch their attack.

They needed to hurry.

"I'm giving the order for a retreat. We engage when the opportunity presents itself upon better terrain." Kyohei growled, mind racing as he thought of his village and the people he loved inside its walls. "Move out, now!"

"Hai!"

It was not long after that he became aware that they were being pursued, just as he suspected they might be. Kyohei had no doubt that their new enemies had most likely sent messengers back to their own village to tell their elders and council that a team of ANBU assassins had murdered their kage.

But there was no time to sit and ponder upon whether he had made the right move by calling for a strategic retreat and letting those messengers go.

"Badger!" He called out after twenty minutes of desperate flight to reach better terrain, their pursuers all but snapping at their heels.

She looked up, her face hidden from view behind the mask. She kept falling behind, obviously exhausted and pushing herself further than what her body could currently handle.

"Keep up, it's not far now!" He ordered angrily.

If she fell too far behind, she was dead. And Kyohei would not allow any of them to die today if he could help it. Their lives were in his hands, and he was responsible now more than ever after having made the wrong call.

If they made it back to the village in one piece, he was going to have Yui running a hundred laps around the village a day so that he wouldn't have to worry about her falling behind again in the future.

He heard her grunt as she forced herself further, groaning lightly at the strain of it. Onward they pushed, until Hawk looked back, twisting his fingers into a sign that meant they were coming up upon the area that he had seen as acceptable for combat.

The five of them burst into the coverage, and Kyohei wasted no time in assessing the terrain. A tributary from a spring that flowed towards the Land of Rivers, some trees and brush, and patches of tall grass and dirt that was more solid than sand provided an adequate ground for what they intended to use it for.

He made a quick signal towards Takamori, indicating where he wanted the Nara positioned in the foliage of the trees, then did the same for Shige, who would use the tall grass for cover to wait for the opportunity to strike. He grabbed Yui by the arm, and hauled her with him up into a tree.

"Now." Kyohei commanded, and Yui nodded, flipping through the seals for her new technique. "Rest for a bit and keep the fog as thick as you can - but keep it low so that you and Rat can see the targets from above. I'll cast a genjutsu to make it seem like the fog is higher than it is for those of us on the ground. Wait for further orders regarding anything else."

And with that he jumped from the branch to rejoin with Aki, who had scouted a brushy area to take cover in. Kyohei crawled through the brush, willing himself to still as he took a deep breath and sniffed.

Six, no, seven enemy ninja, each with decent reserves and propelling killing intent – all of it perceived by a small flare of his nostrils.

Not completely horrible, he supposed. The odds could have been worse, but he still wouldn't let that lull him into a false sense of peace. The Inuzuka made quick work of the simple genjutsu, which suddenly made the fog appear as if it were also very high, even though it was just a distortion of light and not truly thick towards the top.

The fog was heavy on the ground, leaving the visibility range less than a meter in any direction. It seemed as though Yui was giving it her best. With Takamori's strategic placement above the fog, he would be able to see down and into the mist. Everything was in place, and just in time.

The enemy ninja barreled into the clearing, hesitating for a brief moment of confusion at seeing such thick fog in the middle of an arid and dry climate.

Their brief moment of hesitation was all that Kyohei and his squad needed.

The battle had begun.

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	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Ripple effect, my friends. Remember to check out Kimari and Kyohei's tumblr page (info on my profile) and thank you again to the support and love shown in reviews and PMs, you guys are the greatest!**

 **Side note and huge coincidence: I ran across this documentary called Paradise Found on youtube made by the BBC. Guess what it's about? Islamic culture. Funny coincidence, right?**

 **Also, warning for violence in Kyohei's portion of the chapter. Not too graphic but still thought best to warn. Enjoy!**

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The last thing that Hana expected to find when she unlocked the clinic in the morning was her brother's mate using her pinky finger to rub the behind of a puppy that most likely shouldn't have been alive while giving the pup a pep-talk on the merits of bodily excrement.

But that was what she found.

"Hana!" She cried in delight when the aspiring veterinarian laid eyes on the kunoichi. "I'm glad you're here, he won't poop!"

Hana bit the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the sight.

The poor girl looked as if she had stayed up all night with the struggling runt, if the dark circles under her eyes that made her look vaguely raccoon-ish were anything to go by.

Her hair was a mess. Feces, bile, saliva, and puppy formula were smeared over her shirt and medical apron like some sort of abstract painting of filth. Her shirt was unbuttoned half way and hanging off of one shoulder, exposing her upper undergarments, and her voice was hoarse from lack of sleep.

But, contrary to the outcome Hana had predicted, she was holding a pup that was very much alive and seemed to be doing as well as could be expected.

"You're overstimulating the anus, just let it come naturally now." Hana instructed with a restrained laugh, setting her bag down and pulling on her doctor's coat.

"Oh, I didn't realize." She returned, immediately stopping her motions and placing the runt into Hana's grasp when she reached for him. "I was using wet cotton balls, but he stopped responding to them a few hours ago."

 _Cotton balls, huh? Good thinking._

"You stayed up with him all night?" Hana asked, and she would be lying if she said she wasn't impressed. Her efforts had most likely saved this pup's life. "You didn't eat or sleep like I told you to?"

"No, I couldn't leave him here alone." She replied, as if the idea were scandalous to her in some sense. "Is it morning already?"

"Yeah, six o'clock." Hana replied quietly, her attention having already focused on examining the pup. The little thing whimpered as Hana set him down on the exam table. "How did you keep him warm? Has he been fed every three hours?"

"I – well – I used my chest and let him rest on my skin…" She gave an embarrassed laugh as she scratched awkwardly at the back of her head before she moved to straighten her clothing and begin buttoning her shirt, suddenly aware of how much skin and cleavage she had exposed. Hana chuckled at her antics as she continued. "I fed him every two hours, was that too much?"

"No, it's not too much, but three to four hours between feedings is preferable for the runts of the litter. Sometimes their stomachs are more easily overwhelmed, but it looks like you learned that the hard way, huh?" Hana said, glancing in amusement at the stains that covered her apron and shirt and the foul smell that radiated from her.

"I'll remember that." She nodded sheepishly, before casting a worried gaze once more towards the runt that Hana was examining. "Is he okay? Do you think he'll make it? He looks a little better now, but is it enough?"

Hana was quiet as she flipped through a few hand seals and channeled the smallest amounts of probing chakra through the system of the little pup. She let it flow like a gentle whisper throughout his shivering form, the kind of precise and soft nature that iryo-ninjutsu often used, probing his body.

She concentrated as she explored his circulatory system, his bones and muscles, epidermis and fur, his nervous system, and his organs.

That leg of his would probably slow him down, and the deformity was something that could not be treated, which rendered one of his front legs useless. His immune system was underdeveloped, which meant that he would be more susceptible to illness or disease throughout his life. His organs were functioning alright, and Hana was happy to find a perfectly healthy heart and set of lungs.

Overall, he would probably live if cared for well over the next few weeks, though he would still have lasting health defects that iryo-ninjutsu could not fix. But he would live, and that was something.

Hana knew that Kimari had gotten lucky. She hadn't been lying when she told her new pupil that the odds were very slim for survival. But luck, combined with an extreme devotion from Kimari's end, had resulted in a second chance for this pup.

"He'll stands a better chance now, you did a good job caring for him." Hana informed with a smile, and Kimari exhaled softly, shoulders sinking as tension released from her body. "But he'll be small for the remainder or his life. He most likely won't live as long as the rest of his litter, and there's nothing we can do for the deformity."

"But he's alive." Kimari returned with a large smile, eyes shining.

Her smile was genuine, infectious, and Hana found her lips twitching upwards as well.

"He is, thanks to you." Acknowledged the kunoichi with a sturdy nod. "Now, go home and get some rest. I'll be watching him carefully, he'll come home with me tonight so Kaa-chan and I can give him the intense care he needs."

Kimari nodded, still smiling giddily to herself and bidding farewell to Hana as she made her way out the door.

"Oh, and Kimari?" Hana called, watching as the tired young woman turned back, looking to her curiously through eyes made heavy with exhaustion. "Take a bath, you smell horrible."

She only laughed in response, giving Hana an enthusiastic wave as she started towards the small home on the outskirts of the compound that she shared with Kyohei, a skip in her step after hearing the positive verdict on the fate of the runt.

Hana watched her go, thinking about the lengths to which she had gone for a pup that had been considered a lost cause. Her determination and compassion saved a life when Hana had been resigned to let nature take its course.

A lopsided grin spread over her face as she glanced back down at the pup in her hands.

"You're one lucky little bastard, you know that?"

.

* * *

.

I tossed and turned in bed, unable to will my body and mind into the hold of sleep.

Despite not having slept in over a days' time now, sleep would not come to me and I seemed unable to settle down and rest. The room was too bright, my hair was still wet from my bath, and my mind was running about a million kilometers per minute.

I rolled over again. The bed that usually felt so soft and comfortable was now the opposite, and no matter what sleeping position I tried, I could not relax.

I flipped on to my back, staring at dust motes swirling in the beams of light that the curtains could not block out. White curtains suddenly seemed like the worst choice in the world.

I rolled onto my side, looking at Aki's empty bed and the tufts of dog fur that had gathered in the corner. I would need to clean the baseboards soon. Perhaps I could dust today as well. Maybe mop the floors while I was at it.

I rotated onto my stomach, groaning into the pillow as my mind continued to race.

There was nothing to distract me from the darker thoughts now, from my suspicions about the Hokage's message and my worries about Kyohei's safety. I had been preoccupied with trying to save the smallest of Mimi's litter all night, but now that I had been sent home to rest, I had no distractions to save my mind from spiraling into anxiety and paranoia as it often did.

I rolled over again, sitting up slowly. The quilt slid down my body to pool at my hips and I hunched over with a sigh. I doubted I would be sleeping any time soon. My mind was too wired, my anxiety too much to ignore.

Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stood and slowly padded towards the dresser. I pulled out a clean shirt and a skirt, dressing myself absentmindedly while my mind wandered far away from where I stood.

I moved on instinct to the kitchen to brew some tea for myself, a habit I'd developed over the years to help cope with stress and a naturally anxious disposition. Anxiety was something I had always struggled with, both in this life and the last, and I had done my best over the years to cope with that. This time, however, the warm and inviting cup of tea tasted like charcoal in my mouth, and I had trouble forcing it down my throat. As I sipped on steaming liquid I considered my options.

Lazing around at home would only create an environment that would be toxic for me, one where I would wallow in worry and make myself sick. I needed to get out, to do something, to find a distraction, something to calm myself.

 _We're almost out of genmaicha, I could go to the market and buy more. Maybe I could take Naruto out for lunch if I can manage to track him down? He'll never turn down free ramen._

But then again, there was the lingering sense of unease I felt with all the foreign shinobi wandering around our village. My recent Kabuto sighting had also put me on edge, knowing that he was here in the village as well…

My sigh was forlorn as I sunk into the reading chair by the window, a book in hand and a lovely view of the forest on the other side of the windowpane. Perhaps books would be the distraction I so needed in the moment.

My reading skills were improving, and though I still read about the pace of a turtle, I was comprehending what I was reading, which was certainly an improvement to be had. Learning to read with Kyohei had opened up doors for me that I never knew existed before.

There were so many stories to read here, so many unknown authors to discover. I'd cultivated a love for the classics in my previous life; the masterpieces of English literature, the poems of the great poets Rumi and Hafiz, the fables and folk of the Bedouin tribes, I loved it all. My favorite was the tale of _Majnun Layla,_ the sad story of a man who was made mad with love for a woman called Layla while Arab tribes feuded, comparable to Shakespeare's _Romeo and Juliet_ but written centuries prior. I had always been a sucker for ill-fated romances.

I was devouring any piece of well-written literature I could manage to snag from the library, and Kyohei had even built me a bookshelf to keep my little treasures of literature in. There were new classics to read, new types of poetry, prose, and literature, new types of science and medicine to learn, and fabulous tales of adventure or historical accounts of clans and wars to commit to memory.

And I wanted to read it all, now that I could.

Today, however, I could not seem to ignite that spark of passion and lust for knowledge that drove me to read and learn, and my eyes only seemed to flick over the kanji without really comprehending what I had just read.

I could not focus on this either, and after another fifteen minutes of trying, as I slowly flipped pages while anxiously drumming my fingers against my thigh, I snapped the book shut with a groan and let my body sink further into the chair in defeat.

I needed to get out of this house and leave my worries behind me, preferably before I drove myself insane.

With my mind made up, I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my bag, making for the front door with renewed purpose. Something, anything to keep my mind occupied from my fears was what I was in search of.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that when I opened the front door and took a step, I didn't see the raised fist until I walked head first into it.

I sputtered, stumbling back while clutching my nose where their knuckles had made impact. My groan was low at the dull pain that came from my now throbbing nose, and I turned my eyes back up to glare at whoever had caused it.

"Ha!" She laughed loudly, shifting the baby on her hip as she snickered at me. "What are the odds! I swear I was getting ready to knock, and you just waltzed right into my fist!"

The baby on her hip gurgled happily, grinning nearly as wide as her mother was.

"Hello to you too, Hoaya." I grumbled, dusting myself off and letting my fingers probe at my nose to check for blood. I failed to see what was so funny. But then again, Hoaya laughed at just about anything. "To what do I owe the displeasure?"

She flashed her teeth at me, once again repositioning Aoi on her hip when the child yanked at a lock of her hair.

"No need to be so grumpy!" She chastised playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh when Aoi began tugging at her mother's earlobe, eliciting a small hiss from Hoaya. "I've actually got a favor to ask…"

"Oh yeah?" I cocked an eyebrow, motioning a tired arm at her to continue before leaning against the door post and crossing my arms.

"Would you be able to watch Aoi here for a day or two?" She continued quickly when I opened my mouth to protest. "It won't be long, I promise. Having all the new pups in the house is messing up her sleeping schedule and Mimi is acting more aggressive when Aoi gets close to her litter. Aoi won't stop tugging on Mimi's ears and tails, and I'm worried Mimi might snap at her."

I drummed my fingers nervously against my arms. I knew how to care for a baby, I'd helped my mother out with all my siblings in my previous life, after all. Diaper changes, feedings, and general care for an infant were things that were no stranger to me. But there were other things to consider besides that.

"Our house isn't baby-proofed-" I started, only to be interrupted.

"She isn't crawling yet, so that's not an issue."

"But I don't have any diapers or supplies or-"

"I brought some for you in this bag, it has everything you'll need."

"But I was about to go to the market to-"

"That's great, Aoi loves the market!"

I sighed, the two of us at an impasse as we locked gazes. She had known that I might not be willing to watch her child, and she had come prepared for that fact.

"You're going to leave her here whether I say yes or no, aren't you?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes at her, and the bag of supplies that was at her feet.

Her smug little smirk gave me my answer.

I supposed I ought not have been surprised, it was bound to happen sooner or later. The Inuzuka had a 'clan mentality' in regards to parenting, where children were raised not just by one set of parents, but by the entire clan as well. It was often that babies were passed from hip to hip and children were taken care of by anybody at any given time. Parenting was more of a community effort here.

It reminded me of the phrase 'It takes a village to raise a child' from another time, another life. Except here, it was lived out like law.

And I was an Inuzuka now too, so I would be expected to help with the concept of communal child-rearing.

"Fine, but you owe me a favor."

"Great!" She exclaimed brightly, handing off her gurgling baby to me and dropping the bag of supplies at my feet. "She eats every four hours and naps twice a day. If you have any other questions or problems I'll be at home with Mimi and Takeo or working at the kennels. Thanks!" And with that she spun, quickly jogging back towards her own home and leaving me with a fussy infant.

"Wait, Hoaya!" I called, shocked that she had left so quickly and with so little instruction. She was gone before I knew it.

 _That girl, she's going to owe me a BIG favor for this!_

My lips were pursed as I looked down at the baby in my arms, who was staring at me with wide eyes, taking in every detail of my unfamiliar face.

"Well, Aoi? Want to go to the market together?"

The baby in question only cooed sweetly, swatting at my chin happily. I took her response for a yes and continued my original plans after bringing the bag inside and setting it on the table. The bag in question did have just about everything I was going to need, she hadn't been lying. A smile spread across my face when I found the sling-wrap that I'd often seen Hoaya using to wrap her baby against her body when she was out and about – that would certainly be useful.

After a few minutes of finagling, I'd figured it out, wrapping the stretchy fabric around my shoulders and waist to bind Aoi to my body so that I would have freedom to move my arms while we were at the market.

Aoi was a happy baby, made happiest when she got to spend time outside in the sun throughout the compound or village. With big, brown eyes that still seemed to be adjusting to focusing on objects, she watched everything in awe and fascination as we walked through the streets.

She would crow in delight when I stopped at different booths in the market or brought a product or piece of produce to her hands for her to feel or hold or smell. She was a curious and rambunctious child, much like her mother, while embodying the sweetness of character from her father. It didn't take very long at all for her to worm her way into my heart. I'd always had a weakness for little kids, and she was such a sweet child.

I supposed watching her for a few days wouldn't be so bad, we were having lovely day so far, and I was so focused on watching Aoi that I found myself forgetting many of the worries that had been plaguing my mind before Hoaya showed up at my door.

So far I'd filled my bag with groceries, stopped to check out more books from the library, had tea with Yamamoto-baa-san, and bought more fabrics and supplies for my embroidering projects. All in all, we were having a great day.

I should have known it wouldn't last.

"Ah, Inuzuka-san, there you are. I was beginning to wonder when you would arrive."

I stopped in my tracks at the voice, my happy-go-lucky smile quickly falling off my face when I immediately recognized who was calling me.

Standing there with a casual and slouched posture, with his hands shoved into his pockets and his one visible eye crinkled to show he must be smiling underneath that mask of his, was Hatake Kakashi.

I cocked my head ever so slightly with a small frown, trying to make sense of his choice of words.

 _Was he waiting for me? He's making it sound as if we were supposed to meet, what in the world is he talking about?_

I was shocked even further when he gently grabbed my upper arm to steer me down another street, in the opposite direction of the marketplace. His grip was surprisingly gentle, as if aware he was guiding a civilian and not a shinobi. But when I attempted to pull away his grasp remained firm; I was unable to wiggle out of it.

My frown deepened, and I glanced towards his masked face, unable to make out what his intentions might be. He kept his gaze firmly fixed ahead of us, a relaxed look on his visible features as he forcibly tugged me along with him. I gave another small tug, somewhat angry now as I subtly attempted to get out of his hold, but he only tightened his grip and quickened our leisurely pace.

I grimaced at the tight hold and struggled to keep up with his quicker pace, my feet moving double time to keep up with his long and quick strides.

"Hatake-san, this is inappropriate! Please let go of-" I snapped my mouth shut when he leaned closer to me, speaking lowly in my ear to make sure he was not overheard.

"Don't cause a scene, Inuzuka-san. You're being followed."

My eyes widened, and I stopped struggling immediately. I gave a small nod as the reality of what his statement might mean settled in, my heart skipping a beat and my initial annoyances abandoned.

We walked quietly now, and I could feel my heart pounding wildly inside my chest.

 _Followed?_

 _By who? What's going on?_

On instinct, without really thinking about it, I turned my head. I didn't get the chance to look behind me, however, when another low mumble came from Naruto's sensei.

"Don't look back, don't give them reason to suspect you're aware."

"R-right. I'm sorry, Hatake-san." I whispered back while berating my own stupidity, limbs rigid in fear and moving robotically with a pounding heart.

A sudden yank and we turned down a small alley, out of sight from the many civilians and shinobi, both foreign and our own.

"Close your eyes."

"Wha-?"

And suddenly, the world turned upside down.

I lost all sense of feeling, of motion, of time and space. My head spun, and for a brief moment I felt as if I'd been separated from my body, my consciousness traversing a different plane of existence entirely. The world rushed past me - close, but not enough to touch. It felt as if I had been pulled through a vacuum, my body and soul sucked through some sort of strange portal.

When my senses returned to me, I stumbled forward, feeling sick to my stomach.

 _What just happened? Where am I?_

I felt a strong grasp on my arm again, and I could hear Aoi crying at the top of her lungs, obviously distressed from what we had just experienced. I blinked rapidly as my surroundings came into focus, panicking when I realized that I was now in a completely different location.

We were now standing at the memorial stone, and gone was the scene of the busy market and alley we had just been standing in a second or so prior.

"Quiet her down, there isn't much time." His voice was hard, that of a true shinobi and not of the casual and relaxed appearance he usually embodied.

It frightened me.

I followed his commands immediately at the change in demeanor, bouncing Aoi gently and whispering softly to her until her piercing cries turned into small whimpers. Looking from the upset child to the stony eyes of the intimidating shinobi, I began my demands for answers.

"What just happened?" I interrogated. "Who was following me? What's going on?"

He glanced back towards the village briefly, before his lone eye flit back towards my angry gaze.

"A shunshin, I apologize for the lack of warning." He explained, tone sounding somewhat dark now. "You were being tailed by a shinobi, and I have reason to suspect why."

I balked, talking a flustered step back and breaking the hold he had on my arm.

"A shinobi? But I – what – I don't understand." I had a hard time getting my question out, and the confused thoughts were now swarming like angry bees inside my mind. "Was it a foreign shinobi or somebody from the village? What do they want with me?"

He was quiet for a moment, looking to me intently, as if searching for signs of deceit. The wind picked up then, rustling through the trees and whispering through the grass. I shivered at the chill the breeze brought.

"' _Look underneath the underneath. Things are not always as they seem.'"_ He finally stated, his sharp eye trained on my reaction. "Does that phrase mean anything to you? Somebody told me it might."

I couldn't suppress the shock that must have registered on my face. My breath caught in my throat and my gaze widened a fraction. His visible eye narrowed at the reaction I'd given.

 _And I suppose that somebody was the Hokage, wasn't it? It has to be. But why would the Hokage send Kakashi to me?_

It was the same phrase, the same cryptic warning that Kyohei and his team had been given by the Hokage. I wondered if this meant that the Hokage had also reached out to other ninja in his forces, finding a way to relay that strange message to others as well. That must have been the case, if Kakashi had also been relayed that same message.

I was now more confused than ever, but at least I knew one thing: if the Hokage was sending out secret messages to certain shinobi and kunoichi, the same one that both Kyohei and Kakashi had received, it meant that he trusted them. And if the Hokage trusted him, then it meant that I could trust Kakashi as well.

"And if it does mean something to me?" I tried, testing the waters and lifting my chin higher in an attempt to convey that I held a sense of strength I certainly did not have in the moment.

A beat of silence before he answered.

"I suppose that would mean we're on the same side." He answered vaguely, giving an answer without truly conveying much information as he appraised me carefully.

"I suppose it would." I eyed him cautiously as well, not wanting to give any more information away either. This was too strange a coincidence, too odd a situation.

"I see." Came his enigmatic response before he continued. "I was told that you and Kyohei would know what that meant. When Kyohei returns, I'll find the both of you. I have a feeling some things might be changing very soon." He informed me, again quite vague with the amount of information revealed.

 _This must be a mistake. I don't know what that phrase is supposed to mean. I don't think Kyohei does either, not yet anyway. What in the world is happening? What exactly is going to change?_

"I'm going to bring you to the Inuzuka compound now, and I suggest you stay out of the way."

I gave a slow nod, accepting his hand when he offered it to me.

I was somewhat more prepared for the strange traveling sensation that the shunshin gave this time around.

He let go of my shoulder when I finally regained my senses for the second time, this time finding myself at the entrance of the compound. Aoi was screaming again, her cries grinding at my eardrums as I swallowed back the bile I felt rising in my throat from the horrible sensation.

Before I could ask another question out of the many that were bubbling on my tongue, he flipped through a few signs that were too quick for me to register and slammed his hand on the ground, which resulted in a puff of smoke.

"Pakkun." Kakashi addressed the little dog who was left behind when the smoke cleared, who only looked lazily towards his summoner. "Stay with this woman until I call you for _the_ _hunt_."

I blinked, entranced at seeing the little pug in person, even more shocked when the dog spoke aloud. Of course, I knew that Pakkun could speak, but it still boggled my mind to see a talking dog.

"A hunt, huh?" The summons replied, suddenly more alert. "It's been a while since I've seen some good action. Don't worry, boss, I'll take care of the little lady."

"Hatake-san!" I called quickly, when it looked like he might be getting ready to disappear in another shunshin. He looked back, prompting me to continue without words. "I'm not sure what's going on, but please look after Naruto, keep him safe."

He held my gaze a moment, eyes unreadable.

A slow nod, and he disappeared from sight, swirling leaves left in his wake.

Whatever was happening, it sounded serious. I cooed at Aoi when she continued her distressed bawling, momentarily lost in the sea of confusion, fear, and theories that occupied my mind. I stood there for a few moments, soaking in the gravity of what this could mean, before Pakkun snapped me out of it.

"Hey, lady." The dog intoned, and I snapped my head down towards the talking dog. "You got anything to eat?"

.

* * *

.

The world was only a vague blur to him as he spun.

He was one with Aki, and Aki was one with him as they utilized the 'Fang rotating Fang' attack. He and his ninken partner were perfectly synchronized, perfectly in time with each other's movements, and the Sand shinobi that was floundering in the mist that Yui had created stood no chance from the beginning.

The impact was hard, and Kyohei could smell blood in the air.

He came to a stop a few paces from the enemy he had just ripped apart with his clan jutsu, stopping to make sure he was truly dead before he followed his nose to the next target. To his right, he heard a horrible sound and a dying cry that signified that Shige had just finished his attack with the Byakugan.

He was glad for the mist and their masks that hid Shige's look of disapproval from view. Shige preferred cleaner kills, he hated getting blood on his clothes. And Kyohei always left a mess in his wake, which almost always prompted a death glare from the neat and orderly Hyuuga.

He glanced back mutely towards the corpse behind him as he righted himself from all fours. His face was void of all emotion, perfectly hard behind his mask as he surveyed the damage he had created. The force behind his attack had been a bit too much, and he made a mental note not to waste as much energy on the next victim.

There wasn't much left of the body at all, but at least it had been quick. He saw the shadows retreat from the mangled remains of the shinobi he'd just shredded to pieces, and he was once again thankful to have Nara Takamori to make things so easy.

The faint whistling of metal through air was suddenly detectable with his enhanced hearing, and he dodged the senbon just in time. The hair atop his head tickled as one sharpened spear of finely pointed metal senbon flew through his short locks, just a centimeter from his scalp.

He frowned at the sensation.

 _Too close. And these bastards coat just about everything in poison, I can't afford to take a hit. Be careful, Aki._

' _Aki always steady. Kyohei need be careful, no Aki'._ He heard Aki's indignant message back to him, and he smirked despite the situation.

He could smell the ninja who had thrown the senbon, and he could tell that he was now closing in on him, despite the fact he shouldn't have been able to see through the thick fog.

A sensor, then.

Kyohei and Aki tensed, ready for the fight that was bound to be interesting. He reached behind him quickly to draw both of his short swords when he heard the sound of a weapon being unsheathed by his next opponent.

He blocked the first blow made to his head, noting mildly that the enemy's curved sword had a certain sheen to the metal that could only indicate it had been dipped in poison as well.

The enemy's face was wrapped in a thin, white muslin fabric that was wound in a turban atop their head to protect against heat. The angry black eyes, the only part of the face that was visible to him, were narrowed and lined with black kohl powder in the style that many of the desert dwellers often used.

He could not tell if his enemy was male or female, the Suna uniform did well to mask any indication of either gender, and all he could see was the look of pure rage being sent his way.

"You Konoha bastards, you've murdered our Kazekage!" The voice raged, pressing further against Kyohei's own swords and bringing their face up to his. "I'll gut you here and now, you treasonous dog! I'll slaughter your entire dog-worshiping clan when we retaliate on your village, every damn man, woman, and child. You'll pay for what you've done!"

Kyohei felt his lips twitch downwards behind his Hare mask.

He ought not have let this opponent get to him, it was often that ninja spoke such threats just to get a rise out of their foes; because, when you managed to emotionally compromise or anger your opponent, you would instantly be granted the upper hand in the battle.

The moment emotions entered the scene, you would be fighting a losing battle and more prone to making mistakes.

In reality, their ANBU masks did little to shield them from being identified on a basis of clans. Their personal identities might have been safe, yes, but it was startlingly easy to identify who was who based on techniques used.

It would be simple for this man to know he was an Inuzuka based on his canine companion and attack style, even though he hid his tattoos and features behind an ANBU mask.

But this particular opponent had just made things personal. His grip tightened on his dual short swords, knuckles squeezing against leather hilts. This ninja had just threatened his family, and Kyohei wouldn't even blink when it came time to end his life. Nobody would harm his family.

He grunted as he pushed back against the foreign ninja, creating a small space between them. This particular man or woman was smart, strategically stepping around shadowed areas that Takamori was waiting for them to step in and dodging the kunai that Yui had thrown from above as well.

Kyohei rolled his shoulders back. This would be an interesting fight.

He started forward, pushing off of the ground and propelling himself forward, taking small swipes with his dual swords that were blocked and dodged. The sound of metal against metal rang in the air as sword clashed against sword, and it was easy for Kyohei to tell that the smaller ninja he was fighting would tire before he did.

But the smaller ninja was faster than he was, if only by a few milliseconds. Sometimes, however, it was those brief moments that counted the most.

Aki stayed on the side, waiting for an opportunity if Kyohei signaled him for it.

The close combat was exhilarating, and Kyohei often found it was easy to give in to the way his body moved easily through the fight, almost as if on auto-pilot. His form moved like raging rapids, graceful yet powerful, and his swords became an extension of his arms, flowing with the movements of his body after years of practice and refinement in the ranks of ANBU.

His thoughts sped ahead of his movements to calculate speed, trajectory, motion, and potential openings. His mind whirled faster than what he could comprehend, and his body buzzed with energy and bloodlust the way it always did during a good fight.

He felt invincible. He felt a certain rush, a type of high that he could only get during a battle like this, when he was equally matched.

He could feel the feral grin on his lips that was hidden behind his mask as he lost himself, and the further he retreated into his mind and let his body and instinct take over, he knew exactly what was happening.

Kyohei felt as though he were on cloud nine, and his entire being screamed for the blood of his enemy.

There were times when this happened, when he would lose himself during battle and come back to his senses to find himself standing in a graveyard of his own making. He would retreat inward, only to be replaced with a side of him that scared him at times, a side that reveled in the blood and guts and death.

That terrifying side of him wanted to kill, to slaughter and spill the blood of anyone who might threaten those that he held dear to him. It was a side of him that only revealed itself at times like these, when he'd been pushed too far. It was no doubt the animal instincts in his blood that came from the Mother Wolf their clan was said to be descended from.

His opponent had long since dropped his threats, and Kyohei could now tell that the ninja was beginning to realize that they would not win this battle. The fear in their eyes at Kyohei's precise, powerful, and calculated attacks spoke volumes.

Seeming to know that a short-range battle was no longer in their favor, they jumped backwards, landing about fifteen meters from where Kyohei stood.

The two ninja paused, both panting from exertion, before the Suna-nin raised their arms and flipped quickly through a few signs while speaking boldly.

"Sand Release: Sand Wave Burial!"

The sand was mixed with red clay and dirt as it rose like a mountain behind his enemy, only to come barreling towards Kyohei and Aki like a tidal wave of earth.

Kyohei smirked.

Other villages liked to dog on Konoha's tendency to promote teamwork and the 'Will of Fire', but relying on his teammates had led him to victory many times, and it would do so again. This Suna-nin had no idea what they were up against.

He lifted his hand towards ANBU Badger's line of vision, and made one simple sign with his fingers, entrusting the rest to her.

 _Make it rain, Yui._

"Water Style: Monsoon Tide!"

This jutsu was one of her most powerful, a small-scale replication of the intense winds and pelting rains that came during monsoon season on the lands that bordered the coastline. The wind and water were heavy, and the force of the water stung against his skin as he shielded his eyes for a brief moment.

When it was over, he looked up to find the exact results that he had hoped for.

The horrendous wave of sand had been reduced to a large pool of mud after the water dampened the earth to make it too heavy, and the sloppy mixture only lapped lazily at his feet instead of burying him alive as it would have in another circumstance.

This was why their ANBU team was so successful and rarely failed their missions. Over the years they had worked hard and trained even harder together, learning to rely intensely on one another to finish a job together. He trusted each of them with his own life, and they trusted him just the same.

And that trust made them into a force to be reckoned with.

Kyohei wasted no time, springing forward with Aki and taking that small moment where his enemy floundered at the unforeseen outcome to plunge his swords into the body of his opponent – one in the heart and one straight between the eyes.

Blood splattered over his mask when the foreign ninja coughed once in shock before collapsing at his feet, little pin drops of blood splaying over his clothing and Hare mask.

He made another sign towards Yui after yanking his blades from flesh, and she complied with his order immediately, dispelling the mist to reveal the damage.

The dispelling of the mist revealed the corpses that had met unfortunate ends as the battle went on. It looked as though Shige had taken out three on his own, and that Takamori and Yui had picked off a few from above with the help of Yui's aim and Takamori's shadows. Kyohei had left three horribly mangled corpses in his wake, along with the newer and cleaner kill of the sensor.

Kyohei sighed, sheathing his swords and signing his next orders to the rest of his team.

They would travel until night fall, and hopefully would have reached the border to the Land of Rivers by then. From there they would rest a few hours to replenish both energy and chakra reserves, taking shifts to ensure safety.

He would need to send a messenger hawk to the Hokage as soon as they reached the first patrol station within their borders.

Hopefully, it would reach the Hokage in time. The fate of their village depended on it.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - A nice looooong chapter for you guys! Hasn't been too heavily edited and I don't have a beta so be prepared for overlooked grammar mistakes. Ripple effect is now in full swing! Some things will stay the same, but a lot is going to change and things won't be revealed right away. If you aren't a fan of big changes to plot, this is probably where you'll want to stop reading.**

 **Thanks for all the love and support, you guys are the best!**

 **Warning for semi-graphic violence and tense situations.**

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Sarutobi Hiruzen folded his hands together atop his desk.

The message that Kyohei and his team had sent via a messenger hawk was now nothing but ashes in the waste bin. No doubt they would soon arrive, but he feared they might arrive too late.

He took a long drag, the tobacco and smoke from his pipe providing a comfortable and familiar nip at his throat. His exhale was long and tired as he slowly released the smoky air his lungs held.

The Kazekage was dead, no doubt by the plotting of his adversaries. This was of little surprise to him.

He had suspected, and his suspicions were now a reality that he could only continue to watch play out.

His hands were tied, and those who wished to see him deposed had already won the battle by igniting aggressions between the lands of Wind and Fire at a time when their village was teeming with foreign ninja and traitors within the Hokage's own ranks. They were waiting to make their move, and the time would soon come.

The fallout that was likely to result from this was inevitable. The Hokage had ordered his best ANBU squad straight into a trap of his own making, whether conscious of it or not, and it was he who was to blame for the destruction that was soon to take place.

The village would soon be under attack, of that he was certain. It would not be long before the foreign ninja within the village received their orders. It would not be long before their world was once again at war.

Shimura Danzo had betrayed him.

He had done well, he supposed, to have already destroyed as much sensitive information as he could before this all came to pass. Danzo would inherit nothing of much use to him. The most sensitive of documents had been destroyed. This protection would hopefully be useful to some extent.

For as many times as Danzo had chosen to keep Root missions a secret from the Hokage, the Hokage had also done many things without informing Danzo – and all records of such activity had 'mysteriously disappeared' just minutes ago when he realized his time was running short. It was the least he could do, the small rebellion was the only he could afford in the moment.

It was not the first time that Danzo had made an attempt on his life, and he found himself reminiscing again of the day decades past when Root and ANBU had clashed, the day that Inuzuka Kyohei had thrown his body between his Hokage and a well-aimed kunai.

He had forgiven, accepting that Shimura Danzo had only been acting on what the man truly believed to be best for the village. He most likely was this time as well, no matter how misguided that sentiment was. But there would be no forgiveness for him now.

Danzo's plan must have been one that was years in the making, and the more he thought about it the more he realized just how intricate the plan was. But the Hokage still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

It felt cowardly, to do what he was about to attempt, to leave his village in the hands of a man like Shimura and vacate his position in the desperate times that accompanied war - when his people and loyal forces would need him the most. It could not be helped, however, and he took a calming breath as he reminded himself to once again think about the results he wanted in the long run, and not in the immediate timeframe.

If he chose to remain and fight for his position, calling upon all those who were still loyal to him, his village would be torn apart - not just by a war of aggressions from neighboring lands, but from an internal and civil war that would rage if he stayed. And a civil war amid such an attack would lead to the destruction of their village. The damage would be irreparable.

His adversaries were smart to have planned his assassination and their coup d'état during an invasion, they knew he wouldn't fight back. They would have known that he wouldn't put the lives of the villagers at risk by staying and attempting to uproot the treachery in his ranks.

To stay and attempt to command his forces against a foreign threat while simultaneously fighting his own ninja who had turned against him was a fool's plan. He would have to choose which was more important to him; and they had known all along which option he would choose.

The village and its inhabitants would always come first.

So, he would let Danzo have his little coup d'état. He would let Danzo depose him of his position. If it meant that there would be more available forces to fight a foreign threat instead of fighting amongst each other, with some loyal to Danzo and some loyal to the Hokage, it was an easy decision to make.

Orochimaru and Shimura had won this time, but they had only won the first battle in the war.

Hiruzen reflected sullenly on the events that were looming on the horizon, events that he had inadvertently helped to create.

Shimura had been given too many liberties, and although his Root forces had been decommissioned, it was now quite apparent that Danzo had been operating behind his back for years to an extent that the Hokage would not have guessed at. Hiruzen had known that he had kept his Root division alive all along, of course, though he had mistakenly chosen to believe that Danzo would not oppose him again.

He had been well aware that Root was still active and partaking in missions, but these missions had always been in the best interest of the village, so the Hokage had turned a blind eye and allowed Danzo to do his dirty work for him.

Hiruzen had never truly trusted Danzo as a man or comrade, but he had always believed in him to put the village first. For that reason alone he had let Danzo continue in his position and power, and he could now see clearly that he had dug his own grave with the liberties he had given the traitor.

Danzo would continue to put the village first, but only in the way that he saw fit. And in Shimura's case, the village was best served by deposing their current Hokage and beginning a war to expand their borders.

 _Hi no Kuni_ would become the largest world power that the elemental nations had ever seen – with Danzo as the highest leading authority.

Soon Hiruzen's years of working painstakingly and without ceasing to establish treaties and diplomacy would be void. All the progress made in his life to help establish harmony throughout the elemental nations would be forfeit. Any peace that he had tried to bring to their nation and world would soon be uprooted, and all his work undone.

Danzo's vision, which he had discovered too late to change the outcome that was currently unfolding, involved the Land of Fire as a supreme world power. He wanted larger borders, more resources, the strongest kekkei genkai under his command, and conquered or occupied lands in subjugation to their village.

And Danzo might have had it all, if it weren't for a double agent among the shinobi he had converted to his ideology. There was somebody under Shimura's command who had betrayed him to send an anonymous tip-off to the Hokage that had given Hiruzen the insight he needed to put his own plans into motion.

He would make sure Danzo's empire crumbled if it was the last thing he did.

The Hokage had been too soft, too trusting in the idea that Danzo's own thoughts about the village and its prosperity mirrored his own, but he could see now that he was wrong.

Shimura Danzo should have been executed after the Uchiha Massacre and the first assassination attempt, he realized that now. But Hiruzen had been to gentle, too trusting that Shimura would be thankful that he had been able to retain his life and status to try and undermine him again.

Hiruzen had always been somewhat soft to a fault, and in many ways he saw aspects of himself reflected in Minato's young son, who always wanted to believe the best in others and give second chances.

Now, as the end of an era of peace was fast approaching, he wished he had hardened his heart and taken care of this problem years ago. No matter, he supposed. What was done was done, and he could not change the mistakes made in the past; now he could only focus on the future, on how he could help their world return to a path of peace.

Danzo had been smart about it this time – no outright attacks or bold power plays. Instead, he had spent years of subtle and treasonous influencing, persuading the shinobi that Hiruzen controlled while simultaneously helping Orochimaru to ignite tensions with bordering nations.

History was repeating itself again. Dreams of expanded borders, fighting to control valuable resources, and economic disparity had resurfaced slowly over the years, to the point where one feather might tip the delicate scales of peace and once again engulf their world in chaos.

This war would not be between two nations; it would span their entire world, as the Second Shinobi World War had.

The Hokage had been doing all he could in the last few years to work on his armistice treaties and strengthening trade agreements in the hopes that it would cool the rapidly rising tensions, all the while oblivious to the fact that it was Danzo orchestrating much of the troubles in the first place, giving traitorous orders right under his nose.

The man had also allied himself with Orochimaru, and Hiruzen supposed that they were trading favors, for Hiruzen knew better than anyone that Orochimaru had his own visions and desires. Perhaps some of their mutual interests and desires had lined up to a point that it had become more beneficial to work together than against each other, and he had a guess as to what a few of those things might be.

Hiruzen could only wonder as to just how many of his shinobi had been persuaded to Danzo's cause over the years. Just how many of his own forces had betrayed their Hokage and devoted themselves to a vision of a utopian-like and prosperous future for their country and village that Danzo had painted for them?

He suspected a fair few.

There were many who were proud, and did not want to bow to other countries through diplomacy. There were the veterans of the previous wars, who still held grudges against their Hokage and neighboring countries. There were those who might even believe what Danzo had told them, that having their nation controlling the majority of their known world might actually help to bring peace and end a need for warfare altogether. There were those who still blamed him for not having controlled Orochimaru better, and for not having done more to keep the legendary Sannin trio loyal assets to their village. There were many who still blamed him for taking them to one of the most catastrophic wars their village had ever seen, just to surrender in a peace treaty at the end.

And Danzo had taken advantage of this. He had played on festering feelings of nationalism and resentment, of anger and a hope for a better future. The Hokage felt like a fool for not having seen this earlier, but it was now too late.

It was only a matter of time now before the faction of Root and those who had allied with Shimura came to end his life on Danzo's orders, but he was well prepared for this.

His messages had reached all the intended recipients, and he had done well to place his trust in Kyohei, who had never failed him and was unlikely to do so now.

As he sat in his office, waiting for the inevitable, Hatake Kakashi was playing the part of a secret messenger, warning clan heads and other ninja he knew to be unquestionably loyal to be ready to begin the civilian evacuations. Hatake would play a pivotal role in all of this, he was certain.

He had also made sure that Hatake Kakashi would seek out Inuzuka Mari after receiving his message, having hinted to the silver-haired ninja that she would be of use to him in the time that would follow this grievous day. He knew that the girl had a connection to somebody in the Resistance, the refugee dressmaker, and the Resistance would be key in his future plans. Everything was falling into place as it ought to.

It would be up to the ones he had chosen to continue his fight within the village. They would continue his vision, they would help to re-establish peace when he was absent. While Danzo waged war and sent his forces to the front, there would be civilians and loyal ninja at home who would wage a subtler type of warfare in secrecy, sabotaging the system from within.

They would meet in homes, whisper in the night, traffic in secrets and stolen information, and work to undermine Danzo's new government. For every step Danzo took forward, they would force him two steps back. The _Will of Fire_ ran strong in the blood of their citizens, and they would not bend to Shimura's rule.

It was a lot to ask of a handful of civilians and loyal shinobi, but he was confident in their resilience.

He let his mind drift to Kyohei and his companion once more, hoping that they would be up for the task he had appointed for them.

Kyohei was sure to figure it out. With the clues he had planted for the skilled Inuzuka, his loyal subordinate would be able to piece together what was truly happening and know how to move forward.

Kyohei was unlike many of the others. He was harder, more resilient, and even more human; a perfect balance of man and ninja, of emotion and machine. He fought as though he'd had several more years of training than what he'd actually received. His eyes shone with a type of resigned complacence and wisdom that Hiruzen only saw in veterans and those who had lived long enough to truly come to know the ways of the world.

Kyohei was smarter than he let on, showing up many Nara at their own game. He was quick, analytical, and rarely failed in any task appointed to him; but he was also brash, too proud and headstrong, and had a tendency to take things too far. He was not perfect, that much was certain, but he had what it took to accomplish what would soon be asked of him.

The Hokage had watched Inuzuka Kyohei grow over the years, from a young ANBU recruit to a skilled squad leader and jonin, always assured that he was different; yet the boy had been nothing but a loyal soldier to him, never failing in his orders and even going so far as to take a kunai for him during the first assassination attempt. Over time, suspicion had been replaced with trust, guidance, and a special bond.

He had always been truthful, always unconditionally loyal – right up until Sasaki Mari entered the picture.

Hiruzen was aware that Kyohei had lied to him for her benefit, choosing this strange woman over his duty to the village. But, upon weeks of watching the two of them in secrecy, he was certain that she was innocent in the same way that Kyohei was. He felt the same strange sensation of intuitive difference from her as well, as if neither of them truly belonged in this world.

Perhaps it was because they didn't, as he had long suspected of Kyohei and had recently come to suspect of her as well.

But he no longer had the luxury of time to debate about their origins within a mind and body that suddenly felt quite tired. He would have to trust them, as well as the other loyal ninja and civilians of his village. The fight was now up to them, and victory would be theirs for the taking. It was time for Hiruzen to pass the baton, to hand over the reins to the rising generation that would take his place.

His eyes flicked upwards when he sensed them.

Danzo's forces were now closing in, just as he had suspected they would. They would soon be upon him.

He took another long drag from his pipe, savoring the last smoky bite of nicotine and allowing his eyes to close for a brief moment before it all ended.

It was the end of an era, and his time was up.

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When it happened I forgot where I was.

The sound, so horrifying and familiar to me, was one I had not heard in years. I froze at the noise, the flash of light, and the confused and scared shouts that followed it – and suddenly, I was no longer standing in the Inuzuka compound.

"Lady? Hey, lady!" _Was that Pakkun?_

I was back in Gaza City again, watching the missiles streaking over the sky above my head. The flashes of light from the bombs, the smoky dust in the air, the screams for help, the smell of fire and blood mixing with the salty scent of the Mediterranean, all of this had replaced my current reality.

"Now really ain't the time for this!" I didn't feel his paws as he nudged my leg.

I was Lamees again, watching the destruction play out around me, searching desperately for my brothers, wondering if my family was alive or not amidst the destruction and explosions that raged rampant. I was Lamees, with a body growing sicker each day from the cancer, trying to survive in a war-torn land ravaged with poverty and oppression.

I collapsed onto my knees, ignoring the strange sounds of two worlds in my ears, as well as the flashes of both memory and reality intermingling in my vision to distort the truth.

I could hear Aoi screaming again, shrieking with choking cries, but I could also hear the sound of yelling in Arabic. I heard Pakkun, but I also heard my mother wailing for her two youngest sons. I heard the Inuzuka clansmen, but I also heard the warplanes and whistling of bombs and missiles sailing through the air. It all mixed and mingled dangerously in my mind, and for a horrible moment I lost myself.

My breath made little puffs of steam from the cold, yet I could still feel the heat of the desert sun on my skin.

The world continued to rush around me, but I was immobile, momentarily caught between two realities.

"-ari! Kimari! Get up, you have to move!"

My vision came back into focus, the vision I'd seen of Palestine slipping from my eyes to be replaced with Hana's worried face. The noises from my memory slowly faded, and now I could only hear the startled shouts and thudding feet of my clansmen as they rushed about in the aftermath.

I opened my mouth, lips moving to form words without sound accompanying them.

I glanced beyond Hana's face, into the distance where a tall plume of black smoke was now rising from the more densely populated areas of the village.

Flames and smoke had engulfed the upper portion of the Hokage tower, and screams of terror could be heard throughout the village. My eyes widened as small figures in the distance jumped from roof to roof, clashing with other small figures, who I could only assume were foreign ninja.

"Kimari, I need you to get it together. Look at me." I was shaking as I looked towards Hana, taking a deep breath and meeting her hard eyes as I absorbed the surroundings.

 _A flashback, I just had a flashback. The explosion from the Hokage tower must have triggered it. I'm here in Konoha, I'm Kimari._

"Hana!" My eyes widened as I grasped at reality, clearing away images from my previous life that wanted to linger. "What's happening?"

Her face fell as I questioned, looking back towards the destruction before meeting my eyes.

"I'm not certain of the logistics, but the Hokage has been attacked and the foreign ninja have launched an assault against the village. Can you stand?" She demanded, and I realized then that I didn't have a choice.

There was no time for weakness now, the village was under attack.

"I'm okay, I'm sorry." I breathed as I stood with her on shaky legs while attempting to calm Aoi down again. Behind where she stood, the Haimaru triplets pawed angrily at the ground.

"It looks like Hatake got to you too." She muttered, eyeing Pakkun in wonder. "He came to Kaa-chan as well to warn us to start the civilian evacuations before he brought you back to the compound. We were right to listen, thank Kami he came to warn us."

 _This isn't right, this isn't how it happened. What do I do? Where is Kyohei? What changed? What happens from here?_

The last thought hit me heavily, and I felt my stomach sink. My foreknowledge was useless in this scenario.

What was I going to do? Was Kyohei okay if things had changed? Where was Naruto? Would he be safe?

My thoughts were spiraling out of control.

"Listen, Kimari." She started, and I snapped to attention at the roughness of her voice, a type of raw disposition I had not yet seen from her. "You're going to have to lead the rest of the clan civilians to the shelter, there are still a few groups who haven't made it there yet, mostly elders and kids from ninja households."

I blinked rapidly at her as the words sunk in.

"Kaa-chan and I are going to join the counter-offensive, and you're the only member of the head household that's left behind. That means it'll be up to you to get the rest of them to the nearest shelter."

My jaw dropped.

"I don't know if I can-"

Hana snarled, gripping my shoulders tightly and bringing my face just centimeters from her.

"We don't have time for this! Are you or are you not an Inuzuka? Did you or did you not promise to put the clan above yourself?" She demanded angrily, and I nearly lost my voice trying to respond.

"Y-yes! I am, but-"

"Then it's time for you to do your duty! There are children and elderly who are counting on us to help them, and we can't let them down." Her tone softened then, and her grip relaxed somewhat on my shoulders. "I know you're scared, and I know it's a lot to ask. I'm sorry I have to ask it of you. But I believe in you, I believe that you can be strong for them. I know you can do this."

She released my shoulders, and I glanced down at Aoi, who was still crying in my arms.

Hana was right. As much as it terrified me, I had to be strong. As a member of the main house I would need to be a source of strength, a pillar to the clan. There were children and elders who needed to get to the shelters.

I had promised to put the well-being of the clan over my own when I became an Inuzuka. This was what being part of a family meant in times of crisis: selfless service.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and ignored how my heart felt more like a chunk of ice than beating flesh in that moment.

"I can do it." I said, voice low but strong. "I'll get them there."

Hana exhaled and stepped back, looking relieved. Pakkun watched with interest from the side as I rolled my shoulders back and lifted my head up, silently praying for the strength I lacked.

"I'll be counting on you. Do you remember the nearest shelter?"

I nodded firmly, feeling the small and fearful tremors racking my body that I hoped she could not see.

"Underneath the research center in the Nara compound."

"And the quickest way to get there?"

"Through the woods, following the river." I replied automatically.

The information had been ingrained in my mind in the case we ever needed to use it. Each civilian was required to know their nearest evacuation route and nearest shelter, and we were expected to be ready to leave our homes for the shelters at any time the call was given to evacuate.

I had just hoped we wouldn't need to make use of that knowledge any time soon.

"Good." She gave a firm nod, looking down next towards Pakkun. "Stay with her and help them to safety."

Hana turned to me then, the little ninken at my feet now forgotten.

"Kuromaru is rounding up the rest of the civilians now, you should hurry to go meet them at the edge of the forest before the fighting makes its way here. It will get worse before it gets better." She warned, voice stark as she relayed her predictions. "The real counteroffensive hasn't begun yet, and things might go downhill before the actual fighting starts. Be prepared for that."

I stood straighter at her warning, feeling my fears subsiding to pure adrenaline and a survivalist mentality that was innate to most.

"I understand." I nodded, attempting to convey that I was up for the task.

I could do this, I had to do this.

"Don't waste any more time. If the fighting gets close or we can't hold them back, we'll howl." She reached again, putting a heavy hand on my shoulder. "And stay safe, you hear me?"

I took a step backwards, giving another shaky nod and breaking her hold on my shoulder.

"You too." I returned, unable to find the will to say much else. I felt sure that if I said much more my façade would slip, and my strength would shatter.

Our gazes locked for a brief moment, and I took another deep breath before turning on my heels, towards the direction of the forest.

And then I ran.

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We were moving slow, much to slow than what I was comfortable with, but it could not be helped.

The group that I was leading through the woods consisted of mostly elder civilians and smaller children from shinobi households. Although the children could have run ahead, the elderly could not, and we could not afford to be separated.

We were moving as quickly as we could through a terrain that was not at all hospitable to canes or bones and muscle made weaker with age, and my heart ached for the elderly who were enduring the pain and discomfort in silence.

Many of the younger children were crying, fat tears streaming down distressed faces. Aoi, thankfully, had fallen asleep, though she whimpered every now and again against my chest as I held her tightly. She had soiled her diaper an hour ago, when Kakashi transported us with the shunshin, but I lacked the time and supplies to change it for her. It was all back in the compound, where a battle was currently raging.

The faces of the elderly were sullen, and they were no doubt aware that their lack of mobility was putting us all at risk, even if it was a fact that could not be helped. They also looked prepared for the event that we didn't make it in time to the shelter, and their faces were resigned.

The woods themselves were peaceful, and if we had not been frightfully aware of what was taking place inside the village at this very moment, it would have seemed a lovely day.

Birds chirped merrily above our heads, frogs croaked at the riverside, and the gentle trickling of water was all that graced our ears.

I wasn't listening to any of it, however. The only thing I was straining to hear was a howl that might signify that the compound had been overrun and foreign shinobi might be on their way to where we stood, creeping through the overgrown trail at a snail's pace.

My heart was pounding, and although the day was a cold my body was slick with nervous perspiration. Without realizing it, I had chewed my lips raw, a nervous habit of mine.

I glanced up suddenly at hearing some shuffling of feathers in a branch above my head, noting the beady eyes of a crow staring back at me. I felt a chill down my spine at the sight of it.

The staring match was interrupted suddenly, at the sound of a howl in the distance, a sound that froze me to the spot. When I looked back up at the tree branch, the crow had vanished.

"Pakkun." I whispered quietly so that the others would not hear and become alarmed, suddenly feeling my confidence slipping away from me. "What should we do? They'll find us, won't they? This means they weren't able to hold them back?"

Pakkun looked back up to me after straining his ears a few moments, gaze somber.

"Sounds like they're raiding the compounds and securing the forested areas to make sure there are no more shinobi hiding inside. They'll catch up soon if we can't speed it up."

I swallowed harshly.

"The kids stand a chance, but not the others." I whispered to him, and he looked down in defeat, knowing that my words held truth to them. "Will you lead them to the shelter? I'll stay with the elders."

"So you can stay here and play the part of the sacrificial lamb? Not a chance, lady. The boss would kill me."

I frowned, feeling my mind becoming more and more distressed.

"Then what?" I demanded in a harsh whisper, beginning to feel myself unraveling at the seams.

I ran my hands down my face in distress, oblivious to how Pakkun had grown strangely quiet. I was too concerned with which direction to go to notice what was taking place, too enveloped in the turmoil of how to possibly get the lives that I had been entrusted with to safety to see how Pakkun's eyes had widened as they fixated on something behind me.

"I can't just leave them here to die, how-"

"Turn around." Pakkun instructed quietly, and it was then that I noticed he had stopped paying attention to me altogether. The children were pointing to something behind me, and mouths hung ajar.

I obeyed, turning slowly, terrified of what might greet my vision.

When I saw them I exhaled with a heave, relieved not to have been greeted by a team of bloodthirsty foreign ninja as I had first feared.

A herd of deer were creeping slowly onto the path. They were large animals that looked more like horses than deer at all, with soft gleaming coats and deep eyes that spoke of mysteries. They held an ethereal air to them, one that felt as if they didn't belong in this world among humans.

I had never seen anything I might have classified within the realms of magical, but this was certainly close. I felt a certain peace at their presence, despite the circumstance that had brought us to their woods.

"These are Nara summons, speak carefully." Warned Pakkun in an almost inaudible whisper, his voice snapping me from my reverie. "We need their help."

A large stag headed the group, with majestic white antlers adorning his head like a crown. His gaze seemed to ask me to present myself and my case to him without even needing to speak. I understood what he wanted without any words transpiring between us.

 _Speak, child._

I spoke.

"Please." I started taking a small step forward and keeping eye contact with the deep brown eyes of the grand stag in the front of their herd. "Please, help us."

The stag took a few slow and graceful steps forward, not breaking our gaze. His eyes were vast and knowledgeable, and I could not help but feel as though he could see into my very soul.

The voice of the stag summons sounded like the soft whispering of a spring breeze through tall grass when he replied, and it would have felt soft and nurturing if not for the words spoken.

"Child, you have traveled far from your home. How curious indeed to find you here, daughter of the desert."

I recoiled, as if struck by lightning.

 _Daughter of the desert…_

 _He knows. How does he know?_

"That's – that's not important right now!" My voice was about two octaves higher than what it ought to have been. I lowered it again before speaking, so that the civilians behind me would not become even more anxious or fearful at knowing what that howl had signified. "There are enemy ninja in the woods, I have to get these people to the shelter on your lands. Please, can you help me get them there? I'm responsible for their well-being, I won't let harm come to them if I can help it!"

I ignored Pakkun's hard gaze at the 'daughter of the desert' comment, feeling more desperate than I ever had been before. These people were counting on me, and we were running out of time if the Inuzuka compound had truly been overrun.

The stag was quiet for a long moment, studying me intently before dipping his head in acknowledgement of my request.

"There are not enough among the herd to bring all who seek shelter to their deliverance. One must run at our sides."

"I can run." I replied with assurance, even though I had no idea just how long the distance I had just volunteered to run would be. "Thank you, we are in your debt."

I gave a full, formal bow to the stag, who returned it to me, dipping his antlered head low as well.

The deer summons moved past me and towards my clan members, and I helped the elders onto their backs while the children scrambled to their own seats, sitting two to three on one summons. I handed Aoi's sleeping body to one of the elders before seeing to one young boy who looked unsure about riding on a deer.

It took a little coaxing to get the smallest of the children to climb atop the doe who had her body lowered for him, but soon enough we were moving.

The deer moved quickly, and I found that I was having trouble keeping up with them. I gave it my best, pushing myself forward with vigor, but it was not enough. I was falling behind. Pakkun nipped at my ankles to keep my feet moving forward, but the deer had vanished further on down the trail before I knew it.

It was just the two of us now.

"Keep it moving, lady! They're going to catch up!"

"I'm trying!" I exhaled between exhausted huffs of breath, pushing myself further and further as we kept running.

I hadn't known the trail was this long. I'd only known which direction led to the Nara compound once we got to the river, but had never walked its entire length before. At about eight or so kilometers into the run I was tired, and the adrenaline was no longer helping me move with the same speed that I had been running with earlier.

My feet were numb and heavy, my breathing painful, and my sides cramping with stitches, but I kept running.

I was about to ask Pakkun how far we were, hoping desperately for respite so that my body could rest, but he beat me to it.

"Stop, don't go any further!" He commanded, and I sank to my knees immediately after coming to a halt, hands braced on the ground legs shaking. I felt as if I might just hurl.

I had never run that far in my life before without stopping or taking breaks. I wasn't a ninja, nor was I particularly athletic, and my body was protesting the limits to which I was pushing it. I may have started growing stronger over the last few weeks, but not enough to run much farther than I already had.

"Are we resting?" I gasped at him, seemingly unable to get enough air in my lungs. "I don't think I can go much further, Pakkun."

The little summons did not answer me, instead turning to my left, ears perked and body tense.

"Pakkun?" I tried again, suddenly less confident. I didn't like the look he was sporting as he turned back to me.

"The Nara compound was overrun."

I felt my entire being freeze. Any hopes for my own survival were slowly slipping like sand, right through my desperate fingers.

"The children and elders, did they make it to the shelter in time?" I breathed, sending silent prayers that the answer would be yes.

Pakkun gave a small nod, and my shoulders sagged in relief. At least they were safe, even if my own odds were growing slimmer by the second.

"They made it, they got there just in time." He eyed me again, gaze intense. "But the shelter is sealed, you won't be able to enter without giving away the location of the others."

My heart dropped as reality set in.

 _There are no other shelters in this area, and it looks like both the compounds were overrun with enemy shinobi. It's only a matter of time before they find me out here when they come to secure the woods like Pakkun said._

 _I'm a dead woman. There's nowhere left to run._

I sat back on my rear, feeling strangely calm about the circumstances as my breathing slowly leveled out. The enemy ninja would find me sooner or later, and there was nowhere left for me to run, both directions of the wooded trail led to two compounds that had been overrun with foreign shinobi.

"How long do we have until they find us? Is going deeper into the woods an option?"

Pakkun looked down, perking his ears again to listen for a few moments before answering.

"There's a group that's on their way from the Inuzuka compound as we speak, they're following our tracks. It won't be long, you don't stand a chance at outrunning them." He relayed the stark news plainly, not sugar coating a thing for me. "I think the best plan is to move deeper into the woods and try to find an area to hide. I'll regroup with the boss and see if we can get some help sent your way. It's a long shot, and I can't make any promises that somebody will get to you in time. I won't lie, the odds aren't good."

 _I'm going to die out here, aren't I?_

I nodded at him, having lost the strength and will for speech.

"Head southeast." He raised a paw in the direction behind me, back towards the river. "Wade downstream in the river for a while before crossing completely, it will mix up your tracks and hide your scent. After that just try to leave as little evidence behind and find somewhere safe to hide. I'll do as much as I can to slow them down and send a clone to get help."

I only nodded again, mind startlingly blank as I swallowed his instructions.

"Good luck, lady. I'll give it my all for you, so you do the same."

And with that, he took off, leaving me sitting in a stupor for a brief moment as I watched him go.

 _You heard the dog, get to the river!_

I snapped out of it then, shaking my head vigorously and pulling my aching body to my feet to start in the direction he had pointed in. There was no time to wallow or to sit around and wait for a well-aimed kunai to find a home for itself lodged in the delicate flesh of my throat.

I wasn't ready to die yet. I wasn't ready to leave, not when I had just found a family for myself, not when I was slowly learning how to be me again.

Not when Naruto needed me, and not without giving Kyohei one last smack upside the head for good measure.

I got up, ignoring the strain in my muscles and how my body ached. My charge towards the river bank was re-energized, and I ignored the horrible chill of the water that was much too cold to be swimming in at this time of year.

The river itself was not so deep at this particular portion, only up to my chest, but the currents were swift and the river swollen from recent rains. It was lucky, I supposed, for they hastened my pace and helped me to travel faster downstream. After fifteen minutes or so of exhausted swimming and wading, I followed Pakkun's instructions and began my travelling again on the opposite side of the river bank.

My body was chilled, colder than what it ought to have been, but I ignored the freezing temperature of the water and the cold air that intensified the sensation. I only pressed forward, being as careful as I could to leave my tracks at a bare minimum.

I ran in zigzags, walked backwards and sideways, and even kicked dirt around to help my cause. I had no idea if any of this would help, I hadn't the faintest clue how people even read tracks in the first place, but I figured it couldn't hurt.

There was no trail this time to ease my travel through the forest, and this part of the woods was one that was overgrown with thick and thorny brush that snagged at my clothing and left deep scratches on my exposed skin. I pushed forward regardless, relentlessly pressing through thorns, tall grass, and trees, slipping on mud as I went.

Time passed, but I was not aware of how long. Eventually, I spotted the trunk of a hollowed-out tree, it's insides long since decayed.

It wasn't until I had climbed inside the hollowed trunk of the upright tree and sat, resting my chin atop my knees and hugging them close to my chest, that I finally allowed myself to truly breathe.

The minutes passed slowly after that, and I found myself tensing at any small sound from the forest, whether it be birdsong, the sound of leaves rustling, or the wind in the trees. Every single sound had me on edge, and I was all too aware now of how vulnerable I was - just a civilian, a petite young woman with no training in martial or ninja arts, and no real means of defense.

What was more, I could no longer feel my fingers or toes, and was now shivering violently. I felt drowsy, and my breathing was shallow. I was by no means a doctor, and had only studied with Hana a short few weeks, but I was not daft. Hypothermia was relatively easy to spot, and I was nearly ticking off all the boxes for a proper diagnosis.

The sun was dipping lower and lower in the sky, taking with it the rays of warmth provided and leaving the air devoid of heat. The river, with its frigid water from an underground spring, had chilled me straight to the bone, and the cold breeze that was picking up provided little respite.

My clothes were ripped, soggy, and cold. My skin littered with gashes and cuts from the thorns in the brush, and my body and clothes caked with mud. I had been so consumed with making an escape and fleeing for my life that I had paid little attention to what was happening to my body as I ran.

I knew enough about medicine to know that none of this was in my favor. The cuts were likely to be infected if I was unable to clean them properly any time soon, my body was much too cold and exhausted to the point of damage, and the exposure to the elements was only making things worse. If the foreign ninja did not find me and finish me off before help arrived, nature just might.

Night would fall in a scant few hours, and the temperatures would only continue to drop. Either way, no scenario had a positive outcome for me. Exposure to the elements could be just as deadly as a kunai, and there was no way I could turn back now, there was no shelter for me outside of the woods.

I could only hope that I would be able to stay hidden long enough until help arrived or the threat was driven out. If not…

 _No, don't think like that. Try to stay positive._

Time continued to pass, and the sun continued to lower, lowering the temperature of the air along with it.

When I heard them, I truly gave up what little hope I had been holding on to before then that I might make it out of this alive somehow.

"I don't see why we had to follow these tracks. It's probably just a clan civilian, I don't sense any chakra reserves." A deep voice complained lowly. "We're wasting time, I want to see some action!"

"Shut up and stop complaining. There's a chance that there are still more of those goody-goody Leaf nin hiding out here, we have to be thorough. They're in their element in the woods, so it's important we secure this area quickly so they can't utilize it in a fight." A second, female voice reprimanded scathingly.

I brought my hands up to my mouth, covering the sound of my shuddering exhales and chattering teeth.

"Besides, it's obvious she was trying to cover her tracks. She knew we would follow. Either way, one less citizen of Fire Country is doing the world a favor. These bastards are finally going to get what's been coming to them for ages." The lighter sounding voice continued, making a case for what would be my murder. "And we have orders to do as much damage to the clans of this village as possible, or did you forget?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The deep voice replied in exasperation. "Destroy the village, cripple the clans, pillage the plunder, blah blah blah."

He received a scoff in return to his sarcastic comment.

My body was rigid as they came into vision, walking past the hollowed tree and continuing forward. I could see them clearly, their bodies completely visible to me from my hiding spot and partially obscured form.

The rotted wood of the tree only hid part of my body from view, and if they turned even a little bit, they would see me.

I couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't even think rationally.

And when the tall kunoichi turned, her trained and perceptive brown eyes landing on my trembling form, I knew that it was over.

 _It can't be. It can't end like this! I was ready when I died the first time, but I'm not ready now._

"Bingo." She smiled then, though there was nothing welcoming about the predatory fashion in which she bared her teeth. "Look what I found."

The larger shinobi turned as well, one corner of his lips turning up in a small smirk.

"Finally." He gave a small laugh. "Let's make it quick so we can get back to the action."

All I could do was stare as the kunoichi pulled a kunai from a pouch on her leg, twirling it lazily between two fingers as she approached.

I couldn't run, that wasn't an option. I'd given my best attempt at hiding, to no avail. I stood little to no chance at surviving this encounter. It wasn't fair, really, how powerless a life I lived.

 _Why?_

I understood now, why Kyohei had been so insistent that I try to gain as much power and social standing as I could. As I saw my terrified eyes reflected back to me in the shining surface of the kunai, I finally understood just how weak and powerless a civilian truly was in a world of shinobi.

 _It isn't fair…_

Without political or familial influence, a civilian was completely at the mercy of the ninja who ruled this world. How silly a dream I had dreamed, to believe I could find peace in this world without having to fight for it.

 _I don't want to go._

But it was too late now.

 _Please…I'm not ready yet._

"Poor little thing." She cooed, stopping a few paces from the spot where I sat huddled inside the tree trunk and leering down at me. "You look like a drowned rat! What are you, Nara or Inuzuka?" She asked, still flashing a condescending and bloodthirsty smile. Her teeth gleamed unnaturally in the fading light of the sun.

My tongue would not move to answer her, the muscle heavy as lead in my mouth. I was frozen, unable to will my body to move, a deer in the headlights.

"I guess it doesn't matter either way, does it?" The intimidating kunoichi laughed, black eyes narrowing as if this were some sort of game for her. In a way, I supposed it might have been. "Let's see, how should I do this? Have any preferences, girl?"

"Hurry up, we don't have all day!" Complained the male shinobi, crossing his arms in annoyance and casting a glare in the direction of his comrade, who rolled her eyes. "If she's not dead in ten seconds I'll finish the job for you."

I hiccupped, a strange mix between a broken sob of terror and a gasp.

"No hard feelings, right?" the woman smiled sweetly at me.

That was the last thing she said as she aimed the kunai and let it sail from her fingers. I stared in disbelief and denial, unable to truly process that my end was swiftly approaching.

The kunai did not find its intended target.

Time seemed to slow, and the metal from the kunai glinted sharply as a lone shuriken collided with it, pushing the metal off its trajectory by a few centimeters.

Those few centimeters, however slight, were enough to save my life.

A flash of brown and one of black.

The kunai grazed my temple and lodged in the rotted wood behind my head, and though I could soon feel blood streaming from the wound on my head, I was not paying attention to it at all.

Instead I watched in shock as a large brown dog mauled the woman's shinobi partner to death and a man in an ANBU uniform tackled the kunoichi to the ground.

The shinobi was screaming, pleading for his life, but Aki was relentless. Blood sprayed as he gutted the man like a fish with a strong attack. There was hardly anything left by the time Aki was done, and bits and pieces of the shinobi were now strewn about.

The ninken had ripped him apart, piece by piece, in just a matter of seconds.

Kyohei was standing over the woman, unsheathing one of his swords that was strapped to his back.

"No hard feelings, right?" He repeated her own words back to her, voice raw and furious.

The woman choked, eyes filled with fear as he swung the sword.

Her head rolled from her body, the muscles in her face twitching and the grimace of her dying horror still etched upon her face as her head landed just a few meters from where I sat. I looked up from the ghastly image of the dismembered shinobi and the head of the kunoichi to gaze at Kyohei.

When Kyohei turned, his uniform and body painted a deep burgundy, I hardly recognized him.

His eyes were hard, and the blood splattered over his face made him look fearsome. I had never seen him like this before, and I had trouble convincing myself it was truly him.

For the briefest moment, I was scared.

He hadn't hesitated a second before decapitating the kunoichi. He killed with such ease and power, slicing through her neck as if her were slicing through butter. He didn't look bothered in the slightest at the gruesome scene he and Aki had created.

This wasn't the Kyohei I knew, but it was still part of him. The majority of the images I held of him in my mind were of a goofy, hardheaded, and annoying man, but this image was entirely different in a way that frightened me.

This was the first time I was seeing Kyohei in his entirety. He was still a goofy man who liked to poke fun and crack jokes, but he was also a ninja, which I seemed to have taken too lightly. This, the killing and the gore, this was what his entire career revolved around. I was seeing a side to him now that he probably didn't want me to see.

My fear morphed into shock, and then to awe.

I heard his teeth grinding together as he looked at me.

"What the _hell_ are you doing out here by yourself?" He grit out, and I shrank at the sound of his voice. He sounded absolutely livid. It occurred to me then that I had never seen him truly angry before.

I found my tongue then, stuttering through a few words with chattering teeth.

"I- I was leading the children and elders to the shelters, but –"

"Then why aren't you there with them now?! Why did I find you hiding in a tree and just seconds from being slaughtered by two Mist-nin?" He bellowed with a raw type of fury, and I could only stare at him with wide eyes as he continued. "You almost died, Kimari! You'd be dead right now if I had been just a second too late! Why aren't you with the others?!"

"I d-didn't get there in time, both compounds were overrun! I had to try and hide instead." I whispered, feeling tears pooling in my eyes as I continued to tremble. "There was – there was no other choice."

His gaze softened at the sight of my wet eyes. He ran a hand through his hair, seeming to debate with himself for a short moment before attempting to swallow his fearful anger and walking to where I sat with a pained expression that betrayed how emotionally compromised he was in that moment. He leaned down to pick me up and out of the hiding place, pulling me close to his chest in a tight embrace.

"I can't lose you, Kimari, I can't."

He pressed me hard to his body, as if afraid I might just slip out of his grasp, before letting his grip relax a bit and heaving a long sigh as he continued. When he spoke this time, all traces of any anger had evaporated from his voice.

"But that isn't an excuse. I shouldn't have lost my temper. You've been through a lot." He admitted. When he saw me staring at the gore, he frowned, and I felt his chest rumbling as he spoke. "I'm sorry you had to see me like that. It's probably best if you try not to look at the remains..."

I was silent, still staring past him and at what was left of the two ninja with a blank expression. I wasn't quite swallowing all of what had just happened, dissociating from our current reality.

"Kami, you're freezing." He mumbled, placing a hand against my cheek before rubbing some blood away from my eye that was trickling down from the wound on my temple. "You're too weak and too cold. We need to find you a medic."

I only nodded mutely against his chest while he hoisted me up to carry me and jumped upwards with Aki following, the three of us landing in a high tree branch. From up high, we were granted a clear view of the destruction raging rampant in the village.

"There's another shelter for civilians and academy students by the Hokage mountain. I'm taking you there. It's the biggest one, so there should be a medic inside. Hold on tight, okay?"

A flash, a world swirling past me, my head spinning. When we stopped I was dizzy, and I mentally berated myself for not having been prepared.

Another stupid shunshin, this time a couple in a row. I was starting to get sick of them.

The world continued to spin as Kyohei moved forward, unfazed by the quick travel and effect that it took on the untrained body.

"Ah, Sasaki-san! Or, Inuzuka-san now, I suppose. Forgive me." Came a flustered voice from my left, and I looked up from my position cradled against Kyohei's chest to note that the owner of the voice was Umino Iruka. "Is she seriously injured?"

I blinked rapidly as my teeth continued to chatter, trying to stabilize my swirling vision.

We were inside the Hokage mountain, surrounded by genin, academy students, and a few civilians sprinkled throughout. Iruka rushed forward as Kyohei stepped inside the shelter.

"I'm leaving her with you, she needs a medic ASAP." Iruka snapped to attention immediately when Kyohei moved forward, shifting me from his arms and into Iruka's. It seemed as though he knew as well as I did that I wasn't able to stand in the moment.

Iruka's hold felt awkward and strange, and for a brief moment I wished I could have remained with Kyohei. He made me feel safe, warm, and protected. But he couldn't stay, I was aware of that fact.

"I understand. She's in good hands." Iruka nodded quickly as he shifted my body in his arms. "There's a genin medic here. Are you leaving to join the counteroffensive? Anko left a minute or so ago, you can catch her if you hurry, she has more details than I do."

Kyohei nodded, before dropping his head next to Iruka's and lowering his voice to a murmur.

"The Hokage, are there any updates? Is he alive?" I stiffened, looking up to Kyohei with wide eyes. I hadn't considered the possibility.

The academy sensei frowned, also lowering his voice and replying with a somber tone.

"None. He hasn't been seen in the village and we won't have a chance to sift through the rubble of the Hokage tower until we've secured the village and driven out the forces. But I do know one thing." Iruka's voice was dark. "The elders of the council are dead; their bodies were confirmed an hour ago."

Kyohei only nodded again, seemingly unfazed by the information. I knew better though; his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil.

"Keep her safe."

It was the only thing he said before he vanished from view, leaving me shivering violently in Iruka's arms. When he vanished without looking back, I was left alone with my raging thoughts, my mind whirling out of control as I pondered upon all of it.

 _The council has been murdered, the village is under attack, and the Hokage is either missing or dead as well_. _I don't know if Naruto or my family and friends are safe._

Everything had changed. Would anything we once knew stay the same? Had I been foolish for thinking our presence here wouldn't change anything and everything would just continue as normal with me on the sidelines as a spectator? Just what had we done to cause such a drastically different outcome?

 _I'm scared._


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - Another heavy chapter, and warnings for violence and bloody stuff remain active. Nothing above a T rating though, no worries. Apologies in advance for any grammar mistakes.**

 **Question: Would you guys prefer longer chapters with longer periods between updates? Or would shorter chapters (5k words or so) with shorter wait times between updates be preferable?**

 **One small announcement: You can now check my profile for information regarding this story (i.e. when the next update will be and where I am in regards to writing and editing chapters.)**

 **As always, thanks for the support! Enjoy.**

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Murmurs.

It was a light, whispering sound that registered on my ears. Soft, worried, and fearful. It carried on the air, light as a feather, drifting upon what little breeze was circulating in an enclosed space.

I was cold, and could feel my form resting atop of what felt to be even colder stone.

My fingers twitched, and though my eyes remained closed, I was able to make out the sound of an artificial light humming on my left side, buzzing softly like the murmuring around me.

I stayed still as my senses slowly returned to me, distinctly aware that my mind felt hazy, like the heavy fog that stuck closely to the ground on an autumn morning, impossible to see through clearly.

And then came the pain.

I felt my face twist at the intense throbbing inside of my skull, alongside the other multiple and random aching muscles and bruised skin that gave me pause to wonder just what had happened to leave my body in such a state. I felt as if my head might split in two, the pounding like the hooves of a cavalry of horses galloping together inside my skull.

My mind struggled to put the pieces together amid the horrible pounding in my head that outweighed any semblance of rational thought and the memories I was desperately searching for that seemed just beyond my reach. Nausea bubbled in my stomach from the intense pain in my skull, and for a moment I feared that I may retch before swallowing harshly.

The strangest of sensations could be felt throughout my body, as if cool water was somehow traveling through my veins and tenketsu instead of blood and chakra. It prickled a little, but felt soothing to some extent. I couldn't stop the violent shiver that racked my body.

I groaned, shifting slightly as I did so and feeling nauseous from vertigo.

"Ah, you're up." A voice spoke gently. "Good, try to stay awake, don't give in to sleep. I've been treating you the last fifteen minutes after you blacked out, but you're still at risk for hypothermia."

 _Blacked out?_

My eyes flew open when the pieces of the puzzle came together and the haze began to disappear.

The village was under attack. I'd been brought to the shelter in the Hokage mountain after narrowly escaping death. Kyohei had rescued me, only to disappear once more into the fray of battle. I was alive, but I didn't know if my family and friends were as well.

I blinked rapidly, as the iryo-nin leaning over me came into focus.

But when the three drowsy images of him melded into one as my vision cleared, I reeled in shock, my body stiffening when I recognized who it was healing my body and righting the wrongs that had been done to it.

My body reacted before my mind could stop it, a reaction of terror.

"Don't touch me!" I slapped his hand, attempting to sit up, only to fall flat on my back again, the nausea and dizziness overcoming me.

His image swam in front of me, once again splitting in to two or three versions of himself.

"I'm sorry, you must be frightened after what happened to you." He chuckled apologetically, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "But don't worry, you're safe here in the shelter. My name is Kabuto, a genin iryo-nin. Will you let me continue the treatment? You'll feel much better afterwards, Inuzuka-san."

I balked, blinking in disbelief. My fears got the best of me, and I could only stare at him with eyes wide in disbelief of what I was seeing.

Kabuto. Orochimaru's evil assistant.

He was here, healing my wounds, masquerading as an innocent genin with a knack for iryo-ninjutsu as if he had no involvement in what was currently taking place within our village.

But this was also something that wasn't quite right. In the original series, Kabuto was part of the action, impersonating an ANBU captain while colluding with foreign Suna-nin during the invasion that took place in the Chuunin Exams.

But the invasion had happened earlier, it was rumored the Hokage might be dead, and Kabuto was still pretending to be a loyal genin of the village, taking no part in the fight himself.

 _What does that mean? Could it be that his role as a spy within the village has been prolonged? Whose side is he really on? What are his motives in this alternate plot?_

The only thing I knew for certain was that I could no longer trust my knowledge from the original plot. If this much had changed there was no telling what else could have changed already in the past since our arrival, what might change now, and what could possibly change in the future. The knowledge I had was now a rough guideline to operate by at best. What I thought I knew was no longer fact.

We had created a ripple here somehow, like a pebble dropped into an ocean that could eventually transform into a wave.

As he once again came into focus, I realized then that I would now need to be more on guard than ever before; more wary, skeptical, and distrusting of what I knew and what I thought I knew.

I would go with the flow for now, despite my horror at being in his proximity. I had no other choice.

It was time to take advantage of my situation. I could pass off my initial reaction as a terrified stupor after being attacked by foreign shinobi as he had suggested, but I couldn't afford to slip again.

"I'm sorry, Kabuto-san. I forgot where I was and panicked." I mumbled. My distress was real, hopefully convincing enough to let him believe I had been frightened of a memory and not of him. "Thank you for all you've done, I'm very grateful."

The mask was on. I was an innocent and traditional civilian girl that I'd been raised to be once more, docile and easily frightened, polite and gracious. I gave a proper response, and cried like a proper civilian might, clasping my hands together like some sort of damsel in distress.

If he suspected me of anything, he did not show it. I did not let that put me in a false sense of ease, however. The man was perceptive, a genius in his own right, and I ought not forget that.

He nodded with sympathy, putting on his own show as well.

"It must have been quite a fright for a civilian, you don't need to apologize. If you would let me, I can continue the treatment. There are still a few cuts that need to be healed and I can do something for the dizziness too. I've managed to keep the fever at bay, but I'll need to monitor you in the coming hours." He flashed a disarming smile, and if I had not known previously who he truly was and what he was capable of, I might have felt myself at ease in his presence. He was very convincing, as most spies had to be.

He was quite the actor.

I nodded slowly, knowing I could not refuse and watching with a forced calm as he flipped through his hand signs. His hands glowed, a soft light emanating from the healing chakra that once again prickled at my senses before settling under my skin. This time, the sensation was not nearly as comforting as it had been before.

I felt tense, and allowed my eyes to wander around the room to distract me from the dangerous ninja at my side. My eyes fell over many groups of civilians, many known to me and a few I had never seen before. Mothers held children, academy students huddled and whispered seriously amongst their peers, and men stood and discussed the state of affairs in hushed and unsure tones.

The space was large and nearly filled to the brim with many civilians and genin ninja too young to see battle, and I found myself momentarily glad that Kakashi had been able to spur others to start evacuations beforehand. It looked as though his efforts had payed off.

I wondered if that had also been another hint from the Hokage, just like he had hinted that Kyohei and I would somehow know what to do after this.

My mind swam as I tried to process it all.

One thing was a relief to me, however. If Kakashi had been warned to start evacuations ahead of time, I had no doubt he would have seen to the safety of his own genin team as well, and that meant that Naruto was most likely safe, wherever he was. Although I would have been willing to be the boy was going stir crazy in whichever shelter he had found himself in.

As the minutes passed, my head felt lighter, clearer as the healing chakra worked its wonders. The wounds on my flesh knit themselves back together, and my bruises faded from dark and discolored patches to lighter and less offensive marks. The exhaustion, however, remained.

It made sense. I had pushed my body today harder than I ever had before. I wasn't an athlete or a kunoichi, and I had succumbed to the exhaustion, fatigue, and mental distress as any civilian would. To be frank, I was surprised I'd made it as far as I had. That was a feat in itself.

"How are you feeling, Inuzuka-san?" I turned my head back towards the imposter genin when I heard Iruka's voice now.

The academy sensei approached with a placating smile, looking ever-hopeful despite our current reality.

"Better, thanks to Kabuto-san." I replied, forcing a tone of gratefulness. His name tasted foul in my mouth.

Iruka smiled and nodded, seemingly happy with the news as he also kneeled at my side next to Kabuto. From behind him, I saw the curious gaze of Konohamaru fall upon me as well.

"That's good to hear. You're in good hands now, so don't worry. You gave us all a fright when you collapsed."

I gave a sheepish smile as I lifted my hand towards my temple where the kunai had grazed it, once again amazed at the rapid healing of iryo-ninjutsu when I only felt a small ridge of a scar instead of an open wound. The skin there was sensitive and somewhat itchy, and I was unable to resist the urge to rub at it.

Kabuto's hand stopped me.

"Best if you don't mess with it for a few hours. The skin is still inflamed." He instructed before releasing my hand slowly with that disarming smile once more. "It will scar, but I've closed the wound and it won't reopen if you let it be for the next day or so."

"Yes, of course." I replied demurely, letting my hand fall back down to rest atop my stomach before looking to Iruka again.

"Has there been any news? Do you know what's happening?" I asked softly, searching his eyes for answers.

He glanced to his side with an awkward look, breaking eye contact and suddenly looking somewhat remorseful.

"I'm sorry, Inuzuka-san. I know your husband and family are fighting but..." He took a small breath, looking put out at the fact he could not relay to me the requested information. "We can't discuss classified details with civilians. I sincerely apologize!"

My cheeks heated on instinct. I hadn't meant to make him uncomfortable and should not have asked him in the first place.

I knew the rules, and I was no exception to them. It was only by chance that I had been able to overhear a snippet of their conversation earlier when I was being handed between them as they talked about plans and the fate of the Hokage.

"I shouldn't have asked, please don't apologize." I replied immediately upon seeing my mistake. I had known the rules beforehand. Being married to a shinobi didn't make me one, and he would not be able to share such things with me. "I won't ask again."

"Iruka-sensei!" A call came from behind him, from one of Konohamaru's teammates whose name I could not recall from my memory. The boy with the snotty nose.

Iruka excused himself with a small apology, quickly ushering himself over towards the group of academy students who had called for his help with something or another.

I watched him go with a small frown.

 _What I wouldn't give to know if Kyohei is okay. But not just them…everyone else too. Where are they? Are they safe? Is Machi in a shelter? Are Hana and Tsume racking up a good kill count? Where are Takeo and Hoaya?_

My heart felt heavy as I flit through a long list of people whose whereabouts were all unknown to me. My mind was clearer now, but I almost wished it wasn't. Reality was far worse a burden to bear.

It was Kabuto's voice that snapped me out of my dark thoughts.

"I'm sure everything will be alright, Inuzuka-san. Try not to worry too much." Again with that false smile that sent chills down my spine. "Who knows, our current suffering may one day prove beneficial."

I suppressed the urge to narrow my eyes at his statement that sounded as though it might be more of a promise than that of a hope. Instead, I continued my act.

"You're right." I affirmed with a nod, though I had a feeling we were affirming two very different things. "We have some of the strongest ninja in our village. These intruders and anyone else who allied with them are going to pay for what they've done."

And that was a promise, as well as a subtle threat to somebody like him. After an attack like this, I doubted diplomacy would be the sought-after response by the public.

His eyes flashed, and the briefest hints of mischief seemed to shine for the smallest moment before disappearing from view.

"Indeed." He agreed with a mild tone and grin that seemed more genuine this time. I found myself trembling despite my efforts to suppress the shudders at the sickening way in which he smiled. "But for now, we wait."

.

* * *

.

 _21_

He dodged a shuriken thrown by a chuunin from Kiri, dropping his body to all fours to charge toward the nearest opponent and slice their throat as he passed. He shoved his short sword through the chest cavity of their partner in one fluid motion.

 _22, 23_

He ducked under a kunai, and having grown tired of dodging well-aimed projectiles from the shinobi on the roof above, he pulled the kunai out of the ground. In one swift attack, he slipped an explosive tag out from his uniform pouch, attached it to the kunai, and sent it sailing back towards its owner. The explosion was small, but still did the job. A leg landed not far from where he stood.

 _24_

Aki barreled past him, gutting a shinobi ahead of him with just one dew claw. The shinobi staggered before clutching at his stomach frantically and falling towards the earth.

Smelling fresh blood behind him in a sudden burst from his nostrils, he spun with his sword, incapacitating his newest opponent by drawing his blade straight over both eyes. Before they could scream, he made quick work of it.

 _25_

He was so absorbed in cutting down enemy after enemy that he nearly cut down Hatake next when the man appeared in front of him.

The man dodged the swipe of his sword with ease, the startling red of his rarely uncovered eye unnerving. The silver-haired shinobi moved to stand directly behind him, putting his own back to Kyohei's so that they could guard each other, back-to-back.

"Warn me next time or you might lose your head, Hatake." Growled Kyohei as he brought his sword up to block a shuriken with a clang.

"I highly doubt that." The aloof man replied, forever set on pushing his buttons despite the circumstance.

Kyohei resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"What's the status? I've just returned from a mission, fill me in." His voice sounded like gravel, a testament to just how exhausted he was.

"As you can see, the village is under attack."

Kyohei frowned as he blocked a senbon.

"Cut the crap." He grumbled sourly. "Has the counter-offensive been launched or are we still working rogue? What's the status on the Hokage, I was informed he was attacked?"

The copy-cat ninja sobered then, replying seriously as he extended his arm to block a kunai with one of his own.

"The counter-offensive starts when the sun sets, it won't be long." He informed him, tone darkening as he relayed the more disturbing information. "The Hokage's chakra signature is gone, disappeared with the explosion that took out the council. Two members of the Hokage guard were also killed in the blast. The invasion began shortly after."

"Tch." Kyohei ground his teeth together, his heart sinking at the idea of it. "There are no other acting authorities then? Who is calling the shots?"

"Shimura Danzo survived the blast and has assumed control." Hatake replied, almost with an air of nonchalance. "But I wonder, is that a surprise to you?"

Kyohei's frown stretched further towards the ground.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" His voice dropped into dangerous territory, a silent warning for his comrade to just spit out whatever it was he felt he needed to say.

Kyohei didn't have time for games.

"'Look underneath the underneath, things aren't always as they seem'. Apparently, you and your wife are supposed to know what that means. Kimari-chan seemed familiar with the phrase."

His grip on his sword tightened. Just what the hell had Hatake been bothering Kimari about in his search for answers? What had the Hokage said that brought Kakashi to Kimari? Was this a threat?

He was too tired for this. His body was heavy, even if his mind remained sharp. He had not slept or eaten properly in days, and his chakra reserves were lowering into dangerous territory. He was edging closer and closer to chakra exhaustion, a condition he had not fallen victim to in years and had no interest in succumbing to now.

And just as his chakra and stamina seemed to be slowly ebbing away, so was his patience.

"Leave her out of this. She doesn't know anything." Kyohei warned, voice hard and a bit too defensive to be believable. It was not enough, and he could tell that Kakashi was not fooled.

"The Hokage was the one who told me to find her, she's involved somehow, whether you like it or not. But it's not just you two, there are others who were given the message as well."

Kyohei felt his mind whirling as he attempted to sift through the hidden meanings and cryptic plans that the Hokage had somehow managed to lay in place for them before his assassination. Kyohei was now more certain than ever that the old man had definitely known more than he was supposed to. Yet another diversion from what he knew to be true.

It seemed that Hiruzen had gone to the trouble of establishing a network for them ahead of time, sniffing out loyalty and providing them with the ground work to begin again when this fight was over and he was gone.

And Kyohei wasn't sure what might happen when this fight was over. Everything had changed, but it seemed the Hokage had known that and had been prepared for it.

But why hadn't he fought back? That question continued to baffle him.

What reason was there to let this happen if he had known of it ahead of time? Unless, of course, he had figured it out too late? Perhaps the forces he was up against were too large for him to tackle on his own? Could it be a political move? The possibilities seemed endless.

Kyohei's mind spun as Kakashi continued.

"He also instructed me to start discreet civilian and genin evacuations. It seems he knew what was going to happen." Hatake's voice had also dropped, accepting the unspoken prompt. "Tell me, what's your role in all of this?"

 _Just what had the old man been planning all this time?_

He decided to tell the truth, or at least a small portion of it.

"He sent me that same message before I left on the mission. I'm not sure exactly what he meant, but I might have an idea. I'll need time to think." Kyohei mumbled to the man behind him. "Find me when the dust settles, this isn't a conversation to have out in the open. Things will be dangerous from here on, and I'm not talking about the invasion."

He felt the man give a firm nod, accepting his proposal. It looked as though Hatake had come to the same conclusion as well.

"Have all the civilians been secured? Were there any casualties so far?" He demanded next, glad to have something else to focus on for the time being.

"There were fifty-seven casualties before all the civilians were safely evacuated. Mostly non-clan civilians. Nine casualties from our forces so far." He informed in a stark air.

Kyohei grimaced. Fifty-seven may not have sounded like a lot, but it was the largest amount they'd had since the night of Naruto's birth when the Kyuubi had wreaked havoc throughout their village. He couldn't help the way his heart clenched again when thinking about the fact that Kimari had almost been one of them.

He knew he was emotionally compromised when it came to her. The fact that he had let himself get riled up by the Suna-nin he had killed on the way back, and how he had immediately split from his team upon their arrival to prioritize her safety over that of other civilians spoke volumes to where his priorities now lay.

He was happy to have found her so quickly. She hadn't realized it yet, but in her terror she had accessed their link, sending out a distress signal that had guided him straight to her.

Of all the times for her to have finally mastered the control of her side of their link, he was immensely pleased it had been then. If it hadn't been, he might not have made it in time.

He just couldn't erase that vision of her from his mind. Finding her huddled in that tree, looking death in the face with a horrible expression painted over her gaze had sickened him.

He'd found her so close to death, suffering from hypothermia and exposure to the elements, her petite body littered with random cuts and laden with exhaustion. He couldn't un-see the image of that kunai slicing through the skin of her temple, and the blood that had poured down her face as a result. He would never forget that image of her, nor the rage of emotions he'd felt upon seeing her like that.

All he'd wanted to do was keep her and his family safe, but their world was crumbling, their future slipping away before his very eyes. He and Kimari would have to carve their own future together now, without any foresight to help them.

He blocked a kunai before his attention was suddenly snapped to his right.

His nostrils flared as he recognized the scent. It may not have been his first choice in back-up, but he was glad to have an extra hand.

"Brace yourself." He warned the Jonin behind him warily, just moments before Maito Gai barreled into their vicinity.

Hatake only sighed at the blur of green that spun past them in one of the man's signature taijutsu techniques. Aki barked in disdain when Gai stole the ninken's kill.

"TWENTY-SEVEN!" He announced his kill count with pride and exuberance. "How fares my hip rival and his senpai?"

Kyohei felt his lip twitch in amusement. It was time to return the favor for Kakashi's sarcasm earlier.

"I've got twenty-five." Kyohei replied, blocking yet another shuriken as he glanced slyly towards the man he was back-to-back with. "Actually, Gai, your eternally hip and cool rival over here was _just_ telling me how much he wanted a good competition. You came at the right time."

He felt the killing intent leaking from Hatake's body with every word he spoke.

"Is that so?" Gai snapped his head towards them, eyes blazing with a newfound determination. "Then we shall compete! The person who has the least number of kills must remain in a handstand for ten hours while balancing on their index fingers!"

"Great challenge, Gai." Kyohei affirmed with a smirk. "Hear that, kohai? Better get moving."

And move they did, for it was only a scant few moments after he'd spoken his last statement that the last rays of the sun disappeared from the sky and a planned and organized chaos erupted throughout their village.

A few howls were heard. The buzzing of kikaichu swarming towards the eastern sector graced his ears. He felt the earth shake as the Akimichi clan head now towered above them like a giant and began his rage, swatting ninja out of the air like flies. Shadows creeped over the earth to entrap their victims in a deadly web of dark paralysis.

Kyohei felt his body tense, a familiar and welcome rush of adrenaline and anticipation beginning to boil in his veins. His corners of both his lips lifted ever so slightly as his grip tightened on his hilt.

The counter-offense had officially begun.

.

* * *

.

My footsteps dragged as I shuffled through the ruins and remains of our village.

The fight was over, and the enemy ninja remaining had been taken prisoner, most likely to be tortured and then executed.

We had been in the shelter for hours upon hours, even after the fight, as our forces scoured the village and perimeters to ensure there were no traps or bombs left behind, as well as routing out any foreign shinobi who might have tried to flee or hide.

We had been released from the shelters and ordered to return straight home. A lock down was now in effect, and a curfew had been implemented as the village dealt with the security and aftermath of the brutal attack.

Konoha had won, but the victory itself had come with heavy losses.

The destruction was rampant, and a few small fires continued to burn in the early hours of the morning. The fighting had raged most of the night, and now, as the sun began to peek over the horizon and bring light to the village, we were able to see clearly the evidence of it all.

Houses had been burnt to the ground, entire streets turned to ash. Blood was splattered here and there, and search and rescue teams searched desperately through the rubble of collapsed buildings. Bodies of those who hadn't made it in time to the shelters or had been trapped in burning homes were being brought out to the streets so that families could identify the victims before they were covered in white cloth. The death toll was sure to rise as they searched through the rubble.

It was chaos.

We had been sent home, expected to return to our abodes, but many civilians and shinobi alike no longer had somewhere to return to.

I felt cold and dazed as I stumbled around amidst the destruction. I was slowly making my way back towards the Inuzuka compound, not truly processing the chaos around me.

Children cried as adults ran frantic, asking any and every bystander if they had seen this person or that person. Families mourned at the side of a deceased loved one. Men and women rushed down the streets carrying pails of water to help our shinobi wet the grounds so that the fires wouldn't spread further. The pulse of the village was frantic, heartbroken, and terrified.

"Nee-chan!" I turned slowly at the sound of the relieved voice, before nearly being plowed over when the genin launched himself at me. "I finally found you! I saw Kyohei-nii a few minutes ago. Are you okay? What happened to you?"

I breathed a sigh of utter relief at hearing that Kyohei was up and moving. I had known, somehow, as if it were innate to me, that he was still alive. I could feel it in my heart, almost like his life force was a candle flickering in my chest that had yet to be extinguished, like part of him lived within me.

I wondered if I felt like a flame in his chest too.

Naruto stepped back and took in my haggard appearance with a wide-eyed gaze. Behind him, his two other genin teammates caught up, slowing to a stop as well.

I ran my fingers through his hair as I glanced down at my body. I supposed my appearance wasn't the best vote of confidence that I had been safe and sound this entire time.

I was still covered in dried mud and dirt. Blood that had long since oxidized had plastered much of my hair to my head from the kunai wound. Red and angry flesh puckered along the lines of recently healed cuts. Bruises from who knew what were already vivid against my skin. My clothes were ripped in many places and I was somehow missing a shoe.

I was a mess, to sum it up. But I was alive.

Naruto looked as if he had been through hell and back. His face was ashen and his eyes filled with anger, disbelief, and grief. His gaze spoke of untold pain that he was trying desperately to hide as he went about his orders.

"I'm okay. I had a bit of a scuffle trying to get to one of the shelters." I summarized, leaving out the part about running for my life and nearly meeting my maker. "I'm glad to see you three are fine. Will you be heading home?"

They exchanged glances with each other, suddenly looking somewhat unsure. It was Sasuke who answered my question.

"We were told to help escort civilians home and make sure they stay there. Then we're to report to the Hokage pavilion to hear an address from Danzo-sama."

Something clicked in my mind in an instant.

 _The Hokage is gone. The council is gone. Somehow, Danzo just happened to survive and is now the highest authority within the village._

I felt my stomach sink, my jaw dropping open.

At the sight of team seven's confused look at my reaction, I snapped my mouth shut immediately, not wanting to give them any more reason to worry. If I was correct, we would have much more to worry about in the aftermath of this attack.

 _It was planned by him, it must have been. All the border troubles that Machi's father talked about…he's been escalating the situation for months, hasn't he? Maybe even longer._

 _And now he's going to take control of the village, this must be part of what the Hokage was warning us about..._

 _This wasn't a random attack by foreign shinobi, this was a coup d'état._

I hoped desperately that I was wrong.

Perhaps the Hokage was still alive somehow. Perhaps my fears were unfounded and paranoid. Perhaps there was something else we still weren't seeing yet.

I put on my best poker face as I spoke.

"Ah, if that's the case I should head back home. Make sure to stay safe, you three."

"You too, Kimari-nee." I heard Naruto's doubtful voice as I turned, continuing back towards the Inuzuka compound, my feet carrying me faster this time around. "I'll come see you as soon as I'm able '-ttebayo!"

I began my trudge forward once more after giving Naruto a good hug goodbye.

 _I have to talk with Kyohei as soon as he gets back from this announcement that Danzo's planning on making. I'll bet he figured it out already, with that mind of his. We need to think about what this means for us._

"Kimari! Thank Kami!" I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding as Hana and Tsume appeared in my peripherals. "When I heard you didn't make it to the shelter in time, I assumed the worst."

"I'm fine." I spoke softly as they approached, though I certainly didn't feel fine at all. "You won't get rid of me that easily."

Hana snorted at the lame joke I'd attempted at, despite the current situation.

Tsume, however, took a more serious expression.

"You were brave, fitting of our name. You saved their lives." She remarked starkly, referencing the elders and children I'd helped to safety. I only shook my head in disagreement.

"I got lucky, if the deer summons hadn't arrived they wouldn't have made it…" I trailed off, picturing the unimaginable that had almost become reality. "I was scared. I was only pretending to be brave."

Tsume's expression changed to one of mild annoyance as I admitted my truth to her.

"If I say you're brave then you are." She declared in a tone that dared me to argue with her. "Take the damn compliment, I don't dish them out lightly."

I nodded quickly, if only to appease the matriarch. She continued.

"Now, I need you to head home. As of now you are the acting clan representative until we get back to the compound. Shimura's going to give an address, and it'll be broadcasted by radio. The MP's said it's mandatory to listen to." She scoffed at the last statement. "Gather the clan and use the radio in the main house, hold the peace until we get back. I doubt whatever he says will be anything good."

"Is there anything else I should know?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

Tsume's face darkened, her tone dangerous when she spoke again.

"We had seven casualties in the clan, their bodies are lined up near the main house. We'll have a bonfire tonight to honor their memory. Now get going."

My heart clenched painfully, and I only nodded once more as I let my feet continue in their path towards the compound.

I saw them when I entered, their bodies lined up and yet to be covered.

I fought the urge to break down when I saw Hoaya and Takeo's bodies among the fallen, bloodied and beaten and lined up on the ground, eyes cloudy and staring up towards the heaven without sight. But I couldn't break down. Not yet.

The air was tense as the clan gathered together while I placed the radio on Tsume's porch and played with the dials until I found the emergency broadcast station that aired from Konoha to the rest of Fire Country.

Nobody spoke a word as I turned up the volume, the screeching sound of radio static now able to be heard by all. We waited with bated breath, dirtied and bloodied and gathered around the radio.

Finally, a voice was heard through the static.

" _My fellow citizens of Konohagakure and the surrounding lands of Fire Country, I come to deliver you most grievous news_." The voice wavered on the radio waves, and a young man jumped up and on to the porch to fiddle with the radio antennas in hopes of diminishing the static.

The voice continued.

" _Yesterday, a tragedy befell our lands at the hands of a sudden and deliberate attack on our nation, people, and leadership. I regret to inform you that a large number of civilians from neighboring villages and our own lost their lives when an alliance of forces between the lands of Earth, Wind, and Water invaded Konohagakure in a large-scale terrorist attack. The Hokage and the Council have perished at the hands of their barbarism."_

Collective gasps went up behind me, but I only stared hard at the radio, eyes narrowing.

He was playing it smart. Instead of telling the populace it was an act of war, he was using words like 'terrorism' and 'barbarism' to insinuate that the people who did this were bloodthirsty and uncivilized barbarians – not like _us_ , not like the proper and civilized citizens of Fire Country.

He was making sure that each citizen felt that they had the moral high ground, passing off neighboring lands and their inhabitants as backwards and rabid heathens. It was easier to kill if you no longer saw your enemies as human beings, after all.

He was ensuring that we felt properly victimized by others and not by traitorous forces within our own ranks, drawing suspicion away from the problem within. I was now sure that my hunch had been correct.

Shimura was on the fast track to establishing himself as the highest leading power – a dictator with complete control of both military and government. And without the council to stop him there were no checks to his power, ensuring that he could do as he pleased after winning the support of the populace.

And by painting himself as a savior and true leader in a time of tragedy, he would have that support. If I hadn't known of what the man truly was, I might have bought into it as well. His words were powerful and persuasive.

" _As the only leading authority left after this tragic event, I have directed that all measures be taken to ensure our defense. I ensure you, citizens of Fire Country, that no matter how long it may take us, that the Will of Fire and our might will prevail against all! We will not be trampled upon, nor will the blood of our righteous and pure citizens stain the ground any longer! The time has come to take action against those who would see us obliterated!"_

"Does that mean Shimura is Hokage now?" A young girl behind me muttered, but she was shushed immediately when Danzo's voice began again on the other side of the radio, spewing more propaganda.

" _If you will have me, I promise to lead this land towards an era of prosperity. I will make our nation strong again, and I will eradicate any threat to the mothers and children of this land. We will live in fear no longer! I will make this world a safe place for the citizens of Fire Country, the true and proper people meant to govern and rule!"_

It was the classic approach, one that I had heard many times before from different governments in my last life.

" _We will rise from the ashes of our humiliation. We will become strong. I, Shimura Danzo, will lead you to victory. As of today, we are formally at war. Times will be hard, but we must pull together with the Will of Fire and overcome our circumstance."_

The Will of Fire. It was propaganda and nothing more, but it was effective.

" _I am instating a civilian curfew to protect our citizens. No civilians will be allowed out of their homes or compounds after sunset. ANBU Black Ops will be formally disbanded and replaced with another organization of the most loyal and strong shinobi. Rationing of food will soon begin as we prepare to launch an invasion on our enemies. Citizens will be assigned various work and volunteer duties based on their credentials. All of this is in our best interest as a nation. We are only strong when we stand together. Lend us your strength, citizens of Fire Country!"_

Translation? 'I don't trust that you won't try to meet in secret after dark to undermine my leadership, ROOT is going to become the new ANBU because they are unquestionably loyal to me, we're going to starve ourselves so we can expand our borders and steal from other nations, and you will work where I tell you to'.

I tuned out after that, having caught the gist of it. The rest of his hateful speech was more propaganda anyway.

When it was over, the civilian clansmen and women muttered amongst themselves as we began the preparations for the bonfire and cleaned up the rubble in our own compound.

I couldn't seem to focus on what anyone was saying, my thoughts spiraling dangerously as I helped gather bricks and stones and other random debris. I tried to keep my vision in front of me each time I passed the bodies to dump armfuls of debris at the sight of the bonfire.

We would burn it all. Ruined homes would become the kindling to reduce the bodies of my friends to ashes. The Inuzuka didn't bury their dead.

I tried not to look at Hoaya each time I passed her corpse. I tried not to think of their orphaned daughter who would never know her parents. I averted my gaze from the dried blood on her face and the way her skull had been dented. I kept my gaze above the grotesque cut on Takeo's throat.

But the one thing I did see, and it was something that almost broke me, was that one of Hoaya's young cousins had come and moved one hand from Hoaya's body and one from Takeo's to allow them to hold hands as their bodies burned, perhaps in the hope that they might enter the afterlife together, hand in hand.

I couldn't bear to look at it.

Eventually, the shinobi of our clan arrived just as we were adding the last of the wood and debris to the sight where we would light the fire.

Scant few words were spoken, the air somber as ninken and humans gathered around the makeshift pyre. As Tsume lit the flames, I felt a warm hand slip into mine and glanced up to see Kyohei standing at my side.

He grasped my hand tightly, but his gaze remained glued to the flames. I turned my eyes toward the fire as well, saying a silent farewell to the two friends I had lost and feeling warm tears streaking down my cheeks.

Kyohei did not cry, but his hand trembled violently in mine, and I could feel his despair adding to my own.

Slowly, Tsume lifted her head to the sky and let out a lone howl that pierced the air and sang of grief and misery.

There were no words, no funeral processions, and no wake.

It was just the flames.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N - Alright guys, you get a break. The dark and sad stuff is officially behind us! However, (don't hate me, haha) now we get...stress and angst and plotting! Woohoo! It definitely won't be as dark as the last few chapters though, so don't worry.**

 **That aside, thanks so much for all the love and reviews. It really keeps me going, and I appreciate the effort. You guys are the best.**

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Piercing screams that rang out in the dark and reverberated around the room were what jolted me from an already restless sleep.

I groaned at the familiar, ear-piercing sounds, rolling over in the bed and burying my face into my pillow at the offensive shrieks that hurt my ears.

Aoi was hungry again.

It had been a week since the attack on the village, and our society was struggling to pick up the pieces of what was left behind in the wake of the violence and chaos that had run rampant throughout a place we called home.

The dead had been buried, a funeral had been held for the Hokage and Council members, the rubble had been cleared and sifted through, those who had lost their homes were relocated to temporary lodgings, and Shimura Danzo had ascended to power with no questions asked.

The last week had been hell, though it had seemed to pass by in a daze as we attempted to return to our normal lives, though normal was not something we'd be able to return to for some time. The definition of the word 'normal' was not something I was sure I could even define any longer.

We were now at war.

Propaganda posters were plastered upon buildings and forces were being organized. The Chuunin Exams were officially cancelled and field promotions had been given to many genin regardless of capability. ANBU was now formally disbanded. Team 7 received a promotion.

And we knew what that meant. It often happened during times of war. Children were given promotions so that they could be legally sent to battle, and it was an idea that I had a hard time wrapping my mind around. I was angry, worried, and distressed. What would happen to Naruto? To Kiba? To the countless other young genin who had been promoted and were thoroughly unprepared for the horrors of war?

The thought sickened me, straight to the core. But that was just how things worked here, and nobody batted an eye. A few of the genin realized what was happening and accepted their promotions with dismal attitudes and eyes hardened – for they understood why they were now being fitted for flak jackets. The majority of the others, however, were proud and excited for their promotions, and it pained me to see it.

They listened to the radio with eyes beaming in pride as Danzo or one of his subordinates spoke loudly about the _Will of Fire._

Danzo had started using the radio as a way to spread information and update the citizens of both Konoha and throughout the Land of Fire on victories and losses at the border. In just one week, we had begun a military occupation of the Land of Rivers, the lands that separated us from the Land of Wind.

Things were still somewhat disorganized in the village, but it looked as though Danzo was giving it his all to get us patched up and in the fighting spirit, and the citizens of Konoha were quick to chomp at the bit after such an attack. They were angry, they wanted retribution, and they all but gobbled up every word of the hate fueled speeches that Danzo was making over the radio.

His voice could be heard from every corner of the village. Families without radios flocked to homes or shops that had them, and the electronic contraptions were in such high demand that the only radio maker in the village was hard pressed to keep up with the demand. Radios had been somewhat of a rarity, usually owned by wealthier families, but were now becoming more and more accessible as the demand for information grew.

We listened to Danzo's version of the news and his announcements for the villagers from Tsume's radio, and it was often the main house was packed with clansmen doing the same.

Kyohei had offered to buy a radio for us, but I'd turned it down immediately. His voice could be heard anywhere you turned in the village now, and I wanted our home to be free from it.

Aoi continued to wail, as if reflecting all of our combined misery in that moment.

Kyohei shifted on the trundle bed on the floor, exhaling in frustration at what was quickly shaping up to be another night of little sleep before speaking.

"I'll get her." The deep baritone of his voice carried a certain strain to it, the strain of a man who was experiencing the joys of foster parentingand all it entailed.

Like not sleeping.

 _At all_.

"Don't bother. She's hungry, I can tell. And you keep getting the formula ratio wrong." I mumbled sleepily as I sat up, the quilt slipping off my form and pooling around my hips as I hunched forward in the bed and ran my fingers through shoulder-length locks.

I groaned as I rubbed tiredly at my eyes.

No matter how many times I blinked rapidly to try and clear my vision of the film that seemed to linger there, it did no good.

There was something, although Kyohei claimed he couldn't tell them apart, between a baby's different cries. And I knew this one, it was definitely a 'feed me I'm hungry' type of bawling.

She had an impressive repertoire of different, horrible shrieking sounds, and perhaps it was just instinct that allowed me to distinguish between them, but over the course of the last week I had de-coded a few of her different types of crying, little good that it did. She continued to cry whether I could understand what she needed or not.

In fact, it seemed to be all she did: eat, scream, and poop.

There was only so much comfort that Kyohei or I could give her. I was sure she was craving the touch of her mother, whose body had been burned alongside her husband a week prior. I could not comfort her the way Hoaya used to. I could not nurse her at my breast and she had trouble stomaching the powdered formula we had resorted to using. I probably held her differently and smelled different than what she knew.

She cried for the embrace and familiarity of her mother and father, but they were dead, and nobody could ever truly replace them. Hoaya and Takeo were gone, and their daughter was orphaned.

Kyohei had grudgingly relented when I asked if we could take her in until a solution was found. He was good with children, but an infant of only four months was a completely different story, especially an infant that had been traumatized and cried consistently because of it.

My feet shuffled in exhaustion over the wooden floor boards of our small house on the lands that bordered the forest. My arms and legs seemed to drag as I lifted her out of the makeshift crib that Aki guarded at night to place her on my hip to head to the kitchen.

Making the formula was time consuming without modern appliances that could heat water quickly. Thankfully, the embers in the fire place were still bright, and I was able to place a small pot directly on top of them to heat the water.

I bounced her on my hip and hummed absentmindedly to her as her cries faded to unhappy whimpers, babbling to her softly that her formula was almost ready and that she needn't cry, though I knew full well she couldn't comprehend a word of my speech.

She sucked greedily at the bottle when I brought the prepared formula to smacking lips, and I sighed in relief. This was exhausting, and I now held a newfound respect for any mother or father who somehow managed to get through their days when they hardly slept at night. Childcare was no joke.

I remembered it well enough. I'd never gotten married or had children in either of my lifetimes, but I had helped my mother with my youngest brothers when they were born. But even then, I hadn't been exposed to the same degree of exhaustion and work that a mother was.

Soon enough, the only sounds to be heard were the exhausted snores of Kyohei and the content gurgling of our four-month-old ward when she seemed to have had her fill.

I padded back across creaking floorboards towards the inviting fabric of the mattress, sinking tiredly into the soft padding and burrowing into the quilt after making sure Aoi had burped and was sleeping peacefully once more.

My eyes fluttered shut immediately, and I could feel sleep quickly encroaching my mind and body as I nuzzled deeper into the soft fabric. It was finally peaceful, and I breathed an audible sigh of relief at the welcome thought of sleeping the remainder of the night without interruption.

Those thoughts were in vain, however. I doubted I had been sleeping very long at all when her piercing cries began anew.

The noise that escaped my lips was somewhere between a strangled sob and an exasperated scream. Kyohei groaned and rolled over, attempting to bury his head underneath his pillow.

"Oh no you don't, Inuzuka Kyohei." I hissed at him through the darkness as he pressed his pillow over his ear. "It's your turn!"

.

* * *

.

Her fingers moved nimbly, the gentle pushing of needle through delicate white cloth, creating a lovely floral design with each tender stitch she left behind.

She was focused, so much so that she hadn't looked up in the past hour or so, completely absorbed in her needlework. Her eyes were sharp, trained on the needles and colored silk thread that was slowly coming together in her newest masterpiece. He watched her brow furrow slightly, and she frowned as she undid two of her stitches when she realized she had made a small mistake, before sighing softly and starting again.

A small fire burned in their fire place, though it was now in need of more kindling as the evening continued to wear on. Aki rested at her feet, snoring as he slept comfortably. Aoi slept in her crib, sleeping peacefully for once.

He felt calm as he watched her, the type of calm he couldn't really find in any other situation or with any other person. He wasn't really sure how to explain it.

He supposed it was because _she knew_. She was just the same as him, a stranger in a strange land, long since adapted to new cultures and traditions while the memories of their last lives became duller and duller with each year they existed here.

Perhaps that was just how memory worked. He could remember the big things: his mother sending him off with a kiss on the cheek and a few tears when he joined the military, his friends and their many shenanigans, the cold winters in St. Petersburg, and his native language that remained engraved on his tongue. There were some things he would never forget, both the good and the bad.

But other things were fading from his memory the older he got, and no matter how tightly he tried to hold on to them, his mind could only hold so much information from two lives-worth of memories. Some things had begun to fade.

He could no longer remember the sound of his mother's voice. He remembered every detail of her face; the graying hairs at her temple, the soft wrinkles around her mouth and eyes from smiling too much, and the dimples on her cheeks when she laughed. But the sound of her voice had dissipated from his memory.

He couldn't remember what she sounded like, no matter how hard he might try to recall the coveted sound. That thought left him with an immense sadness that couldn't be placated.

As he studied Kimari's hands while she worked with her needle and thread, he wondered what things had remained etched in her memory and what had faded, but he couldn't find the strength to ask. The days since the attack on the village were already somber enough. There was no need to uproot what little peace they had found.

He had the feeling though, from the scant few times Kimari had ever mentioned her family, that they had been quite close, much closer than your average family and much closer than he had ever been with his extended family. Sure, he had loved his mother dearly, but it had just been he and his mother, just Ekaterina and Ivan. There weren't many extended relatives, and he had only seen them a handful of times in his previous life.

She spoke of her family like they were her own personal sun, moon, and stars. He knew it pained her to dwell on the subject for too long, he could see the ever-present grief in her eyes at the mention of them, so he never asked.

They had both known love and loss, and they had both learned to live and adapt to their new lives in Konoha. He figured the reason he felt so peaceful around her was because she intimately knew and understood his internal grief and inner-workings, even though they never truly talked much on those subjects. They had an innate understanding of each other that transcended spoken word, a bond between two lost souls struggling to make their way together.

He thought back to the invasion that seemed so long ago, but in reality had been just days prior.

He had never felt terror like that before, even when his own life had been in danger on past missions. That type of fear had never before manifested itself in his heart at knowing his family and friends were in danger.

He had thought that she would be safe in the village, that she would be well protected in the compound, but he was wrong. She wasn't safe here, she wasn't safe anywhere as a civilian in a world of warring ninja, and neither was the rest of his family. He had been naïve, he realized that now.

He could take her to the ends of their known world, but it would do little good. Their world was once again at war, and there were dark forces at work in the shadows, ensuring that trouble would follow them no matter where they might hide.

And their trouble was only beginning to unfold.

Danzo had formally disbanded ANBU. Kyohei had been sent home to help his clan until he received a new assignment which had yet to come, and he wasn't a fool. He knew that there were ulterior motives to keeping him confined inside the Inuzuka compound.

Nara Takamori had managed to sneak him a message tied to the antler of a deer to inform him that both he and Shige had been confined to their clan's land as well. He had also mentioned that Yui, who came from a civilian family, had been ordered to remain at her parent's apartment.

He highly doubted that they were being sent home just so they could help their families rebuild parts of their compound. They were being sent home until Danzo figured out what to do with all the former ANBU.

He knew what a house arrest was when he saw one, and he knew that Danzo was currently rebuilding an "ANBU" force that was loyal to him and whatever vision of the future he had. If Kyohei wasn't selected for this elite force, despite being a suitable candidate with many years of experience, it would mean that Danzo was suspicious of his loyalty. The fact that he had not been contacted yet confirmed his suspicions.

Danzo didn't trust him, and Kyohei couldn't blame the old bastard. It hadn't necessarily been a secret that the he had been a favorite of the Hokage.

So, for now he was stuck at home, waiting for whatever assignment he was given and attempting to figure out where to go from here.

He was going stir-crazy at home, and it was driving Kimari insane. He was fixing things that didn't need to be fixed or breaking appliances just so he could put them back together. He had taken to building things they didn't have a need for, and wandering around the compound or training obsessively until the sun lowered in the sky.

She'd kicked him out of the house yesterday after he had claimed that he felt they could use a fireplace and chimney in their bedroom. She had been patient with him thus far, but after a week and a half of breaking and building and fixing she seemed to be at the end of her patience.

A small gurgling sound was heard from their bedroom then, and both he and Kimari looked up in trepidation, holding their breaths to wait and see if a cry would follow.

They released a relieved sigh together when Aoi only yawned and did not launch into another fit of tears and screams.

Adding the infant to their household had been a big transition, but he hadn't the heart to say no when Kimari asked if they could take her in until somebody else was found to adopt her. He knew that she had been friends with Hoaya, and the childcare was giving her something to focus on besides the trauma he was sure lingered in her heart after the invasion and a close call with death.

Kimari continued to say that the child would only stay until they found a family willing to raise her within the clan, but Kyohei had a feeling that Aoi wouldn't be going anywhere. Kimari was already attached, and she fretted over the infant girl as if the child were her own daughter.

Kyohei had mixed feelings about the child. He wasn't sure if he was ready for that kind of responsibility, or if he even wanted it in the first place. To foster a child for some time was different, but to take in a baby, as he suspected they might be doing in the near future, that was entirely different.

He wasn't sure he was ready to be a father-like figure, he had never even given the idea pause for thought. It had not occurred to him that he ever might be in the position he now found himself in, nor had he ever found within himself any inkling of a desire for parenthood or guardianship.

He wasn't a particularly good role model, and he knew he would never be able to embody the warmth and compassion that Takeo had. It was an idea that terrified him, if he were being honest with himself.

Ivan had grown up with a deadbeat dad who liked to beat on his mom and kick him around. He had been eleven years old the day the police had arrived to tell them that his father had died drunk in an alleyway outside a bar. It was a day that he remembered vividly, and the feeling of relief was one that lingered even now. He hadn't shed a tear the day his father died.

He'd never been exposed to what a proper father figure looked like, and he had many reservations about taking in Aoi. He was of the opinion that he just wasn't fit to fill that type of role, no matter what Kimari seemed to believe.

He glanced back down at his hands. Aoi didn't even like being held by him, and he didn't quite care to hold her either. She squirmed a fair bit, and he always had a lingering fear he would drop her or hold her too tightly. He hadn't held many babies in his lifetime.

But Kimari had. She went about childcare as if it were her second nature. She was soft and gentle and Aoi liked her touch and was soothed by her hold. What a difference there was in their hands.

He continued to stare at her hands as she worked. The soft and unblemished skin of slender and dainty fingers and palms, the graceful curve of her wrist, it was enchanting to an extent.

It amazed him that their hands were so different.

With her hands she created flowers with needle and thread, cooked delicious meals, cared for a baby, nursed animals to health, and tended to their little vegetable and herb garden. Her hands were used to cultivate life and love, and they were gentle and wonderful for it.

His hands were rough; they held kunai, flipped through hand seals, and ripped apart enemies in battle. He didn't have a green thumb, Aoi didn't like to be held by him for very long, and he burned just about everything he tried to cook.

But with his hands he could fight to defend what he loved, use ink and brush to create seals, and was fairly adept with wood working and construction. He supposed that, at the end of the day, his hands were useful for something too.

One of the very few ways he remained sane in this world of ninja was by reminding himself that he was more than just a killing machine, even if it felt that way at times.

Suddenly, his instincts spiked, and his head inclined towards their window, now aware that they were no longer alone. He sensed the surpressed chakra signature before he heard the soft but firm rap on their window pane.

Kimari looked up, obviously startled as Kyohei stood quickly. He gave her a small but reassuring smile so as not to worry her before unlatching the window and pushing it open to allow their guest access.

He could nearly see Kimari's face scrunching in disapproval, she was always commenting on how ninja didn't know how to use front doors, but this time it would have to slide. The front door faced the rest of the compound, whereas this window in particular faced the tree line of the forest.

Hatake Kakashi slipped silently into their living room, feet hardly making a sound as he took a few steps forward and stopped to survey the surroundings. His eyes landed on Kimari, who frowned at him. Hatake then turned towards Kyohei, lifting up his right hand to sign a question to him.

' _Is the area secure?'_

"It is." Kyohei confirmed vocally, motioning the silver-haired ninja to take a seat at the kitchen table. "There are privacy seals. Are you sure you weren't followed?"

The jonin cast him an unimpressed look at the question, choosing not to answer it as he took his seat and instead addressed the woman in their midst. He probably needn't have asked. Kakashi was competent enough to know not to let anyone tail him here.

"Inuzuka-san, please come join us." Kakashi voiced his request, which sounded a bit more like a demand than a request at all.

Kimari stood uncertainly, looking between the two of them in question. Kyohei scowled at him.

"I told you she has nothing to do with this." Hissed Kyohei unhappily.

"And I told you that she's involved whether you like it or not." Returned the unfazed shinobi in a mild tone.

"Dragging a civilian into this is a bad idea, can you guarantee her safety? Because I doubt it."

"The Hokage mentioned both of you, not just her. It's time we talked."

"I don't think you understood me when I said-"

Kimari exhaled in exasperation as she approached and sat opposite of Kakashi.

"Stop it, both of you." She snapped. "I'm right here and fully capable of deciding what's best for me. Hatake-san is right, Kyohei. Don't keep me in the dark if it involves me."

Kyohei snapped his mouth shut, running a hand through his hair in defeat as he sat as well. He was stubborn, hoping desperately that he could find a way to keep her out of harm's reach, but he knew now that they were long passed that point.

Silence stretched for a few moments as they looked between each other. Finally, Kakashi broke it.

"You're under house arrest." He stated the obvious, to which Kyohei scoffed unhappily. He was already going crazy confined to the compound until Danzo decided what to do with him, he didn't need Hatake rubbing it in his face.

"Takamori says most of the current ANBU still are, he's been using deer to transport messages between our compounds." Kyohei informed him seriously, and the jonin nodded at his answer. "What's going on in the ranks?"

"It's been almost completely restructured. Most former ANBU from any time of service are being re-assigned within the village, myself included. My genin team was promoted and reassigned to a new captain. He's not taking any risks."

Kyohei's frown twisted further.

It made sense, he supposed. If he were in Danzo's position he would have done the same. Anybody who was once part of ANBU was once loyal to the Hokage and his ideals. By reassigning them within the village instead of the frontlines, he was essentially making it impossible for any of them to have any contact with others outside the village.

Danzo was paranoid he would be challenged or overthrown. He didn't want anybody he was suspicious of to have a chance to reach out to the enemy to collude against him. Even Hatake had been assigned to a village-centric position, ensuring that the copy-cat nin and former ANBU member would not be allowed to leave the village.

Another indication that his theory might be correct.

"Then I'll probably receive a similar assignment." Kyohei concluded, to which Kakashi affirmed with a subtle dip of his head. "Where do the loyalties fall? How much influence does his new brigade of soldiers have?"

"A fair bit." Admitted Hatake, tone grave. "He has the public support he needs, I'm sure you've heard the radio."

"It makes sense." Interjected Kimari, speaking her piece and drawing their attention to her smaller form. "People are angry, he's only fanning the flames of a resentment that was already there. If he makes people angry enough, he won't be under suspicion himself."

Hatake's glance to her was sharp, gaze piercing.

"You've both figured it out, then?" He asked darkly, looking between them harshly.

"That there was a coup during the invasion?" Kyohei asked. "Yeah, we did. What else could it be?"

"A bit convenient as well that he was the only survivor, neh?" Added Kimari bluntly. "But what I don't understand is why he's keeping his best fighters home-bound. Is he really that worried? It's understandable, but a bit extreme. There has to be another reason he's being so cautious."

Aki whined uncertainly.

"As I understand," Started Hatake, leaning forward and looking Kyohei straight in the eye. "You had a theory as to why that might be. It took a while to fool the Root agents he has watching me, or I would have come sooner. The Hokage mentioned the both of you by name. So, what is it? What do you know?"

The air suddenly felt chilly, and Kyohei leaned forward as well, stringing through the many facts and suspicions that ran rampant throughout his mind.

He looked towards Kimari, who returned his gaze curiously with a knowing look. He had yet to share this particular theory with her, but it looked as though she could tell that the gears were turning inside his mind.

And those gears were turning indeed. He took a breath before stating his conclusion boldly.

"I think the Hokage is still alive."

The reaction was instantaneous. Kimari's jaw dropped in disbelief and Kakashi's visible eye narrowed dangerously.

"B-but how?" Stuttered the flustered woman. "They found his body in the rubble with the council, right? They already held a funeral…"

"A closed casket funeral." Corrected Kyohei. "Hana heard from a friend at the hospital that what they found of the body was horribly burnt. They identified it as him by rough body measurements and dental records. That's hard to fake, but not impossible."

"The blast was big enough to kill two members of the Hokage guard and the council as well. There's no doubt the body would be that disfigured. That's not enough proof." Negated Hatake, though he looked to Kyohei expectantly, as if he were hoping to be proven wrong.

"I know." Replied the former ANBU captain. "But he knew it was going to happen, you can't deny that. He warned us all ahead of time that something was coming, and that not everything would be as it seemed. Right now, we can't afford to take anything at face value, including his supposed death."

"But why leave?" Kimari questioned softly. "Unless he knew he wouldn't win in an outright stand of force?"

Kakashi's eye narrowed as he added his own thoughts.

"He couldn't fight back, even if he wanted to." The silver-haired ninja speculated. "It's likely he discovered Danzo's plans when it was already too late, and if there was an impending invasion he must have known it would be foolish to attempt to battle Danzo at such a critical moment. If he _is_ alive, it's likely he'll fight from the shadows."

"That has to be why Danzo doesn't want any former ANBU leaving the village! He's worried the Hokage survived and will try to make contact with them!" Stated Kimari in excitement, with eyes made wide in awe.

"It's only speculation." Pointed out Kyohei warily. "We'll only know for sure if he does manage to get a message or instructions to us. If he's alive, I imagine he'll be working underground to organize forces against Danzo, like Hatake said."

A few beats of silence stretched before Kakashi posed the question.

"Now the question remains: what do we do while we wait to see if your theory is true? What are both of your involvement in this?"

Silence.

A log shifted in the fireplace, sending small sparks into the dying embers as they pondered the question.

Suddenly, Kimari spoke, voice hardly above a whisper as the thought hit her.

"The Resistance."

The two men looked to her, Kyohei frowning sharply as he followed her thought process. Kimari continued.

"Danzo is obsessing over the former ANBU, but I'm just a civilian. The Resistance is made up of mostly civilians, anyway." She spoke quickly. "If he's alive, he'll use them to transport messages, I'm sure of it!"

Her logic was sound, but he didn't like what he knew she was implying. He knew that the Hokage had known of their presence here, but had never reported their presence or identities to the council, for they were working to undermine the authorities in Kiri, a common enemy of both their organization and Konoha. Hiruzen had turned a blind eye, and it was likely that he had destroyed any evidence of their existence here before his supposed death if he truly did intend to make use of them.

Kakashi's gaze fell on Kimari, and it seemed that he had caught her meaning as well.

"You could be the link between the shinobi on our side and the Resistance. You won't be watched like your husband and I will, and the fact that you know about the Resistance must mean you've already been in contact with them. That must be why the Hokage mentioned you."

Kyohei felt his eyes widen as he looked towards Hatake in distress.

"Not necessarily…" Mumbled Kimari anxiously, oblivious to Kyohei's open astonishment. "I do know somebody, but I don't know how involved they are."

"It's a start." Responded Kakashi, leaning forward with a sense of renewed purpose. "How soon could you meet them?"

"Stop."

The conversation ceased when Kyohei all but growled that command. He couldn't take it, he didn't want to hear another word of it. How was he supposed to protect her if she was talking about getting so heavily involved in something that could likely get them all killed?

They had no way to know what might happen anymore. One false move and they would be tortured and executed for treason. And now she was caught up in the middle of it all. This was never what he wanted.

All his plans were now slipping like sand between his fingers. He'd thought that he'd been so clever, that he'd planned it all out in a way that would allow them to live comfortably in this world. But now everything had changed, and danger was snapping at their heels, threatening everything he held dear to him.

And he felt powerless, a feeling that didn't sit well with him. The image of her in the forest flashed before his eyes again, and his heart clenched painfully.

"You really want to drag a civilian into this, Hatake?" He demanded, voice dropping dangerously. "No. We'll find another way, but keep her out of this. It's too dangerous."

But Kimari would have none of it, which he ought to have expected. He knew he was fighting a losing battle when her eyes blazed.

"Kyohei." Kimari snapped, angry brown eyes boring into his. "I understand the risk. Can't you see it's worth it? We can't let the world fall into a war like this, it would be catastrophic!"

His fists clenched tightly on top of the table. The idea of placing her in such a dangerous situation without the type of training that a shinobi had made him feel physically ill.

But he knew it wasn't his decision to make.

"Just let us take care of it, _please_." He asked of her desperately, the last word falling from his mouth like a beggar on his knees when he realized he couldn't make that decision for her.

She opened her mouth to respond, but snapped it shut when a wailing cry began from their bedroom where Aoi had just awoken.

Kimari said nothing as she stood, but only gave him a harsh look as she retreated to go see to the child. Her footsteps echoed as she disappeared into their room, and he could only assume that Aoi was now being rocked gently in her arms, for the crying had ceased.

"You're letting your emotions cloud your judgement." Came the low voice of the man sitting across from him. It was not a criticism, but a statement, a fact.

"This isn't a good idea. She's had no training for something like this." He negated, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest. "If it turns out she can't handle what you're asking of her and she slips up, she'll die."

Did nobody understand this? Did they not see the gravity of the situation? Espionage was something that even the most experienced of shinobi found difficult.

"It's our only option for now, unless you're willing to let Shimura win. There are other lives to think about, a greater good to consider." Kakashi reprimanded logically, though his tone carried a certain edge to it. "This war, it involves all of us. We all have a part to play, even her. We have a chance to stop him if your theory is true."

Kyohei grit his teeth together.

He was angry. Not at any one person, but rather at the situation at hand. He was angry because he knew that Kakashi and Kimari were right. Risks had to be taken, and they each had a role to play.

"All she has to do is make contact first, and she'll be under surveillance from our side."

Kyohei glanced towards Kakashi with an eyebrow raised.

"Our side?" He questioned dubiously. "Sounds like you've been busy since the invasion. Just how many people are we talking here?"

"Around fifty, give or take." Hatake replied, continuing when Kyohei frowned at the number. "I haven't spoken yet with any other of the former ANBU, most are being watched by Danzo's forces."

"Those aren't good numbers."

"I'm aware."

Kyohei sighed, his shoulders sinking as he exhaled and sunk into his seat.

"It's a good start." He admitted begrudgingly. "We'll have to work with what we've got."

Kakashi only dipped his head in agreement, choosing not to respond.

"The choice is up to her." Kyohei finally spoke after a few moments. "I can't make her decisions for her, as much as I'd like to keep her out of this mess. But there'll be hell to pay if I find out that anyone is trying to force her into something or deliberately endangering her life, mark my words."

.

* * *

.

The fabric of my skirt swished gently around my legs as I made my way towards the shopping district in the village.

It was the first time I'd left the compound since the attack. There had been too much to do and the efforts of both repairing and rebuilding the damaged buildings in our own compound, along with caring for a young baby. I had been kept busy.

But Aoi was spending the day with an elder named Tsubasa today, while I embarked on the beginnings of a dangerous path.

My exterior looked similar to the other villagers – grim faces, bruises and scars from surviving the invasion, and a quick pace. On the inside, however, my thoughts ran rampant.

I was sweating nervously, attempting to keep my pace and features as normal as possible as I made my way to the mysterious woman who would soon dictate our path to us, or so I hoped. It was a wild guess based on a wild theory, but Kyohei was a smart man, and his instincts were rarely wrong.

And as much as the idea of what I was about to get involved in terrified me, I had to do it. We had to know. I'd lived through war once before, I knew how devastating it was for all involved. If there was something, even something small that I could do, I would do it.

The bell above the door rang as I pushed it open upon arriving to my destination, and I was greeted with the same polite and chipper greeting as I had been the first time I stepped through it.

"Welcome to Sumi's!"

Her face fell somewhat when she saw who had walked through her door. No doubt she remembered me after accidentally revealing her secret line of work. I imagined that would be hard to forget. Her lips set themselves in a tight line as I approached the sewing counter she was situated at.

"Good afternoon, Maeda-san." I greeted politely, feeling somewhat awkward.

How exactly did one just casually bring up the topic of an international underground resistance or the fact that I needed to find information from them? I wasn't quite sure.

"Inuzuka-san, a pleasure to see you again." She stated coolly, her tone indicating that it was not, in fact, a pleasure in the slightest. "How may I help you?"

I bit my lip, glancing nervously and lowering my voice despite the fact that we were already alone and there were no other customers in the shop.

"I need your help." I whispered urgently, and she frowned, painted lips turning downwards towards the ground.

"If it's a clothing repair, the fee is –"

"Not that kind of help." I interrupted. "Is there a place we can speak privately?"

She stood then, lips pursed and eyes hard.

"I think you should leave, Inuzuka-san." She relayed professionally, motioning towards the door. "I can't help you."

I shifted awkwardly, it wasn't the response I had hoped for, though I supposed I couldn't blame her. She was being careful, and the times were getting harder. The stakes were higher now, I knew that.

Swallowing harshly as I grasped within myself for resolve, I responded.

"I'm not leaving. This is important, it could change everything. I can help you."

"What makes you think we need your help?" She demanded in a hushed tone, glancing angrily over my shoulder when an older woman passed by her store front but kept walking.

"My husband and I have friends in high places and influence in the village." I replied, staring her down in hopes she would consider what I had to offer. "We can get you information that you would never have access to. There's a network already, those who were loyal to the Hokage and want to organize. We can help."

"And how do I know this isn't a trap?" She demanded. "That our fearsome new Hokage himself didn't send you?"

"You know as well as I do there's no way to prove it isn't a trap. You have to trust me." I reasoned. "I want that man gone, I want to live in peace just as badly as you do. You fled your own country and are living here as a refugee, we have a common goal."

"Whether or not we have a common goal doesn't mean a thing." Bit back the seamstress. "We aren't allowed to have personal agendas in this line of work. Get off your high horse and come back when you're ready to get your hands dirty."

I resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. She was proving hard to sway.

"If you want me to leave, I'll go." I spoke harshly, narrowing my eyes as I straightened up. "But you'll be losing a good resource. Good luck getting your hands on classified intel without our help."

That did it.

Sumi glared as she passed me to head towards the front of the store. She locked the door quickly and flipped the sign in the front to 'closed' before stepping back to my side and motioning me towards the back room.

"Follow me." She mumbled as we made our way back to the work room.

The door slammed behind us and she turned on me then, crossing her arms and giving my body a once over.

"I'll only ask you once, because once you're in, you're in. You don't get to leave. This is your only chance to turn back." Stated the young woman seriously. "Are you sure you want to do this? Can we trust you?"

The answer fell from my lips without me needing to pause and reflect on it.

I was a weak woman. I would never be powerful like a ninja. I stood no chance at winning against anyone physically and could play no part on the battlefront. But that didn't mean I was useless. This, I could do.

I couldn't just stand by and let the shinobi and kunoichi fight every battle for me. I would never have the type of power they held, I would never throw kunai or perform jutsu, but I could still make a difference.

Not every war was won by strength, after all.

"Yes. You can trust me."

Sumi's eyes hardened as she appraised me, looking for any sign of deceit or show that I might falter, but I kept my head high and held her intense gaze. Finally, she relented.

"Welcome to the Resistance."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I was floundering without inspiration for a week or so, but then suddenly found it and wrote this in a day. Funny how those things work, huh? I also started reading some spy novels to get a better idea about where I want Kimari's role to go! Feel free to leave suggestions or comments, because I do take them into consideration.**

 **Shout out to 'Savvy0X', who gave me the ideas for all the fluff and light angst in this chapter to lighten things up a bit. The end bit was with your review in mind! (I think I caught your drift but I'm also dummy dum dum so...)**

 **And thank you to all who read and review! You guys are the best.**

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I gasped in shock when I felt the cold splash of icy water falling over my face.

Flailing in surprise, I jolted violently from what had previously been a peaceful sleep and fell from the top of my bed to crash onto the hard and uninviting wooden floorboards below. I was breathing heavily as I looked up from my position twisted and wrapped in blankets to see Kyohei towering over my entangled form, an empty pail in his hand.

I put two and two together in an instant.

"K-Kyohei!" I hissed, swallowing the urge to yell in fear of waking Aoi, who was still sleeping. "What in the world –"

"Get up." He interrupted, voice bland as he stared down at me. I blinked in shock at his tone and harsh gaze. "Get dressed and meet me outside. Aki will watch Aoi. Meet me at the tree line of the forest."

My jaw dropped as I watched him pivot, turning tail and casually strutting out of our room as if he hadn't just thrown a pail full of water over his fake wife. I could only stare after him in disbelief as I watched him go, unable to process why he had deemed fit to do such a thing. A few seconds later, I heard the creaking of our front door opening before it closed again.

Indignation rose like a fire in my chest.

 _What in the world is going on? Why would he do something like that? What's with those strange orders? Is he still upset about me getting involved with the Resistance?_

That had to be the explanation. It had been a few days now since I had sealed the deal with Sumi. I'd been given orders to wait until a contact reached out to me first, and to only contact Sumi if there was a dire need or emergency. Otherwise, I was to wait until they contacted me and not the other way around.

And in those few days, as I awaited my first set of instructions, Kyohei had been quite visibly perturbed. He'd been trying, _and failing_ , to keep his distress and emotions under wrap. It was a strange mix between the cold shoulder, fretting over my well-being, and sulking. It was as though he couldn't truly figure out how he felt about all of this.

As for myself, I had accepted the role with ease and a sense of diligence. Perhaps the reality and implications of the decision I'd made had yet to sink in, but I did not regret it. Everyone had a role to play, and I was no exception.

Months ago, before getting involved with Naruto and before meeting Kyohei, I had held the naïve belief that I could live here in peace without changing any outcomes. But now I knew that I was wrong. Peace wasn't something inherent or deserved, it wasn't something that was freely given. Peace was something that you had to fight for, and after a lifetime of war and living like a coward, I was ready to fight in my own way.

It was a bitter type of resolve that had settled within me, and I was glad for it. It gave me the strength to move forwards

Kyohei, on the other hand, was less than pleased. Things had been tense between us since our conversation with Kakashi, and had not gotten much better in the following days. The water to the face as a wakeup call was testament to that fact.

I grumbled quietly to myself as I changed, reluctantly following his strange instruction with a foul attitude. After checking on Aoi one more time and giving a pointed look towards Aki, I slipped out the front door and made my way towards where I could see Kyohei's silhouette by the edge of the forest.

It was still dark out, and the sun had yet to show any signs of rising, signifying that it must be the middle of the night, which only added to my annoyance at his actions.

The sky was inky and the air crisp, nipping at my cheeks as my lips pulled downward in a frown. It was foggy, but a few stars could still be seen in the heavens above. The moon was nearly full, but it's light was partially obscured through the misty haze that lingered in the night sky.

"Alright, Kyohei." I heaved a sigh as I approached. His back was to me, but I knew he was listening. "What's all of this about?"

He turned slowly, expression void of emotion as he gave me a once over. My frown twisted further as he waited a few painstaking moments before responding.

"I want you to hit me."

I blinked.

 _He wants me to do what now?_

I stared at him strangely, wondering if I had heard him correctly. His behavior had been strange lately, but this was just downright weird. Perhaps I hadn't heard him right at all.

"I'm sorry, I'm still half asleep. What did you just say?"

"Hit me." He repeated, voice a bit louder this time. "Or try to, at least."

I crossed my arms over my body in disdain.

"You poured water over my face, woke me up in the middle of the night, and drug me out here…so I could hit you?" I repeated dubiously, looking at him with a scowl. "Please tell me you're joking."

He scowled right back at me, the first show of emotion so far.

"You think this is a joke? I'm just getting started."

I ran my hands over my face, exhaling angrily at his little display of temper and cocky attitude. It was the middle of the night, I was exhausted, and this was getting more and more ridiculous.

"I'm going back inside." I bit in agitation, turning my body back towards the house. "Feel free to join me when you're done with your nonsense."

A subtle 'fwish' and slight displacement of air and he was before me in an instant, before I could even take a step. He was close, uncomfortably close. Our bodies brushed against each other ever so slightly.

"No. You aren't." He spoke plainly, and I glared up at him, neck straining from the height difference. "You're going to stay here and you're going to try and hit me."

"So, I take orders from you now too?" I grumbled, taking a step back to put some distance between us. "What are you talking about?"

He eyed me a moment, harsh gaze boring into mine.

"This path that you've chosen – you're not ready for it. I can't be there to help you this time, you'll be on your own. If you mess up, there won't be anyone to save you." He spoke quietly, voice monotonous, though his eyes betrayed him. "I'm going to make sure you'll be able to save yourself if you have to. This is the start of your training."

Slowly, the anger began to dissipate.

"You want to be part of this war, right? Wasn't it not long ago that you asked me to teach you how to fight?" He demanded, and I lifted my head a bit higher. He wasn't wrong, I had made that request of him. "Consider this your boot camp. I'll do everything I can to make sure you're prepared."

I broke our locked gaze, turning my tired eyes towards the sky, wrestling with feelings of pure exasperation and a strange sensation that felt warm and tingly in my chest after he had admitted his true intentions and reasonings behind the odd behavior.

The tingling feeling in my chest was a strange sensation, and I quickly pushed it away to better focus on the conversation at hand.

Kyohei sure did have an odd and roundabout way of showing that he cared for others. He never really used words, it was always accomplished through actions and intentions. The fact that he was so earnest about me learning to defend myself showed how worried he was that I might actually have need to use what he wanted to teach me.

His devotion to helping me succeed and giving me a better chance, as well as the emotional turmoil I had been watching in him over the last few days, was showing me that he was just nervous for my safety and uncomfortable that he would not be able to be present with me.

Although, I wish he had picked any other time to express this to me. No amount of sweet sentiment covered up by his brutish behavior would change the fact that it was the middle of the night.

"Thank you, I think learning how to fight is a good idea." I finally relented, glancing back towards the house longingly. "But why right now? Can't it wait until morning? And was the water really necessary?"

"This is part of standard ANBU training. They used to drag us out of bed or start attacking when we least expected it." He admitted, tone still stern but at least somewhat softer. "I know it seems harsh, but exercises like this help you to become more aware and alert, even during downtime or leisure activities. This type of exercise helps you to be constantly in touch with your senses and helps you make your reaction times quicker, and that could save your life one day. I'm not doing this just to be an ass, you know."

I stuck my chin out in defiance as I answered.

"I know that."

… _Maybe._

"So, let's get started. We'll work on basic self-defense and a few offensive moves until you can do them in your sleep." He motioned at his body then, a cocky smile spreading over his features. "Give it your best shot, short stuff."

I hesitated, which did not seem to surprise him. And in that moment that I hesitated, he made a move.

The world turned upside down faster than the blink of an eye. All the air left my body in a rush, and my back made contact with something hard. I was on the ground now, staring up at the misty night sky and Kyohei's annoying smirk.

"Did you just…?" I trailed off in confusion, sitting up and rubbing at my back as I looked to him in a mixture of shock and annoyance.

"Flip you?" He finished for me, with a smug sounding voice and a look to match. "Yeah, I did. Lesson one: never hesitate."

He offered me a hand but I only smacked it to the side in agitation, which he laughed at.

"Now," He started again, beckoning me forward with two fingers as I stood. "Try it again, and don't hesitate this time."

This time, I followed his command, charging forward and swinging a fist at him with a sloppy swing. He caught it with ease, but to my surprise, he did not hold on my wrist. I watched in a sense of awe as his body moved in a graceful fluidity that used my own weight and force against me to flip my body onto the grass once more.

I hit the ground hard this time, grunting as I fell.

Before I could pick myself up, he had wrenched me back to a standing position and the world spun as I stumbled while attempting to regain my footing.

"Did you see what I did there? That's called a throw, and if you do it correctly you can flip or throw somebody two to three times your own weight."

"Really?" I asked in disbelief. It was hard to picture somebody of my stature and strength being able to throw somebody as big as Kyohei. "But how? I'm not as strong as you."

"It has nothing to do with strength or size." Negated Kyohei quickly, a grin on his face as he performed the move in slow motion for me to watch. "It's all about the technique. You don't have to be very strong to do this. Brute force doesn't always win battles. Now follow my motions, I'll show you how to do it."

The minutes blurred into hours as we ran through different techniques and practiced moving through them, and I was amazed to learn that he was correct: with just a few simple movements and an awareness of how to move my body to use my opponents force and weight against them, I was able to do exactly what he had told me I would. It was an amazing concept to think about, that somebody like me could stand a chance in a fight against somebody much bigger.

I marveled at Kyohei as he ran through different katas and techniques, his movements flowing like the graceful flow of the river. My own movements were sloppy and unsure, awkward and of bad form, but I copied him and followed his instructions closely, the two of us working together until the sweat ran down my back and my muscles ached as the sun began to show signs of rising on the horizon.

The strange tingling feeling inside of my chest did not fade.

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Two weeks passed quickly after that night.

Kyohei was ruthless with his training and instruction, dragging me out of bed at unholy hours or launching an attack at any part of the day when I was too absorbed in what I was doing to pay attention to my surroundings.

It didn't matter if I was cooking, walking back from the vet clinic, or just sitting and working on my sewing or embroidery – he kept sneaking up on me. Kyohei showed no mercy.

Just the day before I had been positively livid with him when he flipped me on to my back as I was carrying to pails of water back to the house from the well. The water had gone everywhere, soaking me to the bone and staining my clothing with mud. He had only shrugged his shoulders at my angry tirade, claiming that I needed to be more aware of my surroundings.

And I knew he was right. Now that Kyohei was in the business of sneaking around to surprise me or beginning an attack at any time of day or night, I had become frightfully aware of just how often my guard was down. It was often I let my thoughts wander, or that I walked around with my head in the clouds, and that would get me into trouble if I didn't learn better.

If I was truly going to be successful and useful to the Resistance in my role, then I would need to be highly vigilant of my surroundings and always on guard. And Kyohei, as annoying as his methods were, was helping me a great deal on that end.

Over the last two weeks I had gotten better at listening for footsteps, assessing my surroundings, and being more alert as I went about my day. Which was, I remained sure, part of his plan.

Though it pained me to admit it, and as much as I detested his sneak attacks and brutal training regime, his unorthodox methods were working. I still had a long way to go, but I was learning, and that was something. I felt certain it would help me in the long run.

I sighed as I continued chopping kabocha, pressing hard on the handle of the kitchen knife to force the blade through the stubborn flesh of the vegetable. I was making nimono tonight, as requested by Kyohei, who loved the sweet tasting pumpkin simmered in the flavorful broth of the dish. Nimono was a dish I loved as well, and I had no qualms preparing the requested food.

Aoi was with another family today, and I was happy to have some time to myself. Caring for a young child, especially one who had just reached five months, was extremely time consuming, and I was ever grateful for the concept of communal childrearing that the Inuzuka used. It gave Kyohei and I a well-deserved break every now and again.

It was quiet as I chopped the ingredients and set them aside, moving towards the old stove to light the coals underneath it.

…Too quiet.

The slightest of noises gave me a start and I spun with my fists up and a kitchen knife in hand, certain that it might be Kyohei again, ready to launch another surprise attack that would leave me crumpled on the floor.

"Ha!" I yelled triumphantly, knife held tightly in one hand and my other hand in the defensive position he'd taught me.

I frowned when I only saw empty space and a room devoid of life besides my own. My eyes narrowed as I slowly lowered my knife. I'd been sure I had heard something this time. Perhaps the paranoia was getting to me.

Setting the kitchen tool back down on the wooden surface, I exhaled slowly, grumbling inwardly about how this was going to drive me insane.

And as I grumbled, I let my guard down, thinking that I was safe. I was not safe.

"Sneak attack!"

I barely had time to tense my body before I felt myself flying over his shoulder and landing on the floor with one of his hands to cushion my blow. He never used too much strength, and I rarely found myself hurting after he threw me. I could tell he was being gentle.

Even so, it didn't make the experience any more enjoyable. I sent him a harsh glare, one that conveyed to depths of my frustration and annoyance to him, but he only cackled and offered his hand to me.

Scowling, I grasped his hand and allowed him to help me up to my feet.

"And that's forty-two for me and let's see…zero for you!" He wheezed, which only added to my growing feelings of animosity. "But you almost caught me that time, you're getting better at being more aware."

"I'm glad you're having so much fun." Came my griping voice, ripe with sarcasm and disdain.

"Oh believe me, I hate being on house arrest just as much as you. But at least we're making the most of it, neh?"

Somehow, I doubted that was true. Kyohei being so restless and destructive during his house arrest was arguably the toughest test of my patience I had ever endured thus far.

I did not reply to his comment, only giving a soft 'harrumph' as I turned back to the stove, lighting the coals successfully and without any sneak attacks this time.

"Any news yet on a new assignment?" I asked quietly when I felt a change in discussion was in order.

His face fell as he plopped himself down at the kitchen table, leaning back lazily into the wooden chair.

"Nothing official…but Takamori got an assignment yesterday, his newest message said he'd been assigned to sentry duty at the front gates." I turned to Kyohei after I'd added the spices to the broth, noting a look of displeasure on his face. "If they try to give me something that boring I swear I'm going to keel over."

His weak attempt at humor did nothing to hide the darker tone in his voice.

I could understand why he was upset. An assignment to something as mundane as sentry duty after having served loyally in ANBU for years was a slap in the face to Nara Takamori, as well as an insult to his capability. That type of job was one that a genin or chuunin could easily handle. And if Takamori had been assigned something so trivial it meant that Kyohei and other former ANBU would likely receive similar positions. It was a fall from grace, but it was also a way for Danzo to crush morale, to remind them all of who was really in charge.

"Maybe that's a good thing for him." I replied softly, attempting to lighten the mood. "Imagine all the naps he'll get to take. It could be good for you too, there's always a silver lining, right?"

That got a snort from Kyohei, before he gave a sad smile.

"I'm not sure there's a silver lining this time." He admitted, shoulders sinking as his tone lost its playful edge that usually accompanied it. "I'd give anything to be on the front."

I frowned slightly, not quite sure what he meant by that.

"But why? You've seen so much violence, so much bloodshed, we both have. Aren't you tired of it?" I questioned, not sure if I was crossing any boundaries.

I just found it hard to understand how he kept it up. I'd grown up in a warzone, and it had left scars on my heart and mind that no amount of time could ever possibly heal. So, how did Kyohei live two lifetimes full of violence? How did he manage? How was he so strong despite everything?

"It's…easier." He replied after a while, tone slightly guarded and eyes averted from my gaze. "I know it sounds sick, but it's what I do well. I just turn it all off. When I'm fighting I don't have to think about anything. It's easier when you don't have to think, because then you don't have to feel."

His admission surprised me. He rarely talked on this subject, and I could tell it was one that was sensitive for him. I dropped my gaze as I asked another question.

"But what about afterwards? How do you stay strong?"

Silence stretched between us, and I realized then that perhaps I ought not have asked something so invasive. Regret ate at my heart, and I wished I had not asked it at all. It was an insensitive question, one that was better left unspoken.

I saw the brief moment of shock pass through his eyes, as I dug carelessly into a topic that was obviously hard for him to talk about.

Kyohei opened his mouth, but quickly closed it, seeming to choke on his words.

I floundered, attempting to form an apology but unable to force it out of my mouth.

A knock on the door sounded then, and Kyohei stood quickly.

"I'll get it." He murmured, moving out of the kitchen and towards the front door in a hasty retreat.

I exhaled in a rush as soon as he'd left and I heard the door open. My fists balled at my sides as I mentally berated myself for taking such liberties.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why would I ask something like that? That was cruel. It's obvious this is something he struggles with._

He reappeared not long after, holding a small package that was wrapped in brown paper and tied off with a string tucked under his arm.

"This came for you, from the dressmaker." He announced quietly, extending the package towards me.

"Thank you…" I mumbled, equally as quiet as I took it from him. "Kyohei, I'm sorry, that question was careless, I didn't mean to make it sound as though it's easy."

"It's fine, I'm fine. Not a big deal." He returned with a false sense of ease that I didn't believe he truly felt. "Let's talk about that later. I'm sure this is probably important."

I nodded, even though I didn't feel comfortable leaving it at that, though I understood if he needed time before we approached that subject again. Feeling a small sense of urgency, as well as a need to focus on something else for the time being, I quickly unwrapped the paper package.

It was a pair of monpe pants, the fabric an unassuming navy blue, similar to the pair I already owned that had also come from her sewing table.

My eyebrows furrowed as I pulled a small card out from the fabric and read over the content.

No instructions, just a summary of the order, the cost of the tailoring, and an address that did not match our own.

"What do you think it means?" I asked quietly, though I already had a vague idea.

I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting. I'd been told to wait until I received instructions, but these were not instructions, only a seemingly innocent package that had been delivered to the wrong household. I hadn't expected some sort of detailed letter describing to me what my first set of instructions would be…but I'd be lying if I hadn't believed I'd receive a bit more insight than a pair of pants and an address.

"She's smart not to put any information here." Murmured Kyohei, looking deep in thought as he took the card from me and read over the address as well. "If I had to guess, this is probably where you'll meet your first contact. It will look like you received their package by accident and are returning it to the owner."

He flipped the card over, examining both sides of it before he spoke again.

"This is the address of the Yamanaka flower shop." His eyes hardened as he continued. "And the delivery date is today, in an hour. Looks like you've got your first assignment."

My stomach tightened somewhat at his words, my heart increasing in tempo at the implication of what that meant.

 _My first assignment. I'll be meeting a potential contact…but the Yamanaka flower shop?_

Perhaps it was just bad luck or the universe sitting back and laughing at me, but my first contact was going to be with either with a Yamanaka or with somebody else inside the Yamanaka flower shop. The part about making contact didn't bother me near as much as the idea of being near the Yamanaka – a clan that could dig around in my mind if they so chose.

I took a moment to inhale and exhale, reminding myself that I would only be making contact with someone, not walking into a Torture and Investigation unit that might expose mine and Kyohei's secret with their clan technique. It was highly unlikely such an event would occur, but I'd be lying if I said I was completely at ease with the idea.

"Do you feel ready? There's still time to back out." Kyohei reminded me, though his tone sounded dejected. He knew I wouldn't back down, but was offering me an out anyways.

In reality, there probably wasn't a way to back out now. I had already joined, and Sumi had already given me my last chance to change my mind. And I had a feeling that the Resistance was a type of organization that you didn't just leave when you felt like you'd had your fill. When you traded in secrets and knew the identities of their operatives, that type of valuable and game-changing information was the kind you took to the grave. I was not disillusioned to the fact.

"I don't think there is. I made my choice and I'd make it again." Came my reply in a steady tone, one that surprised me.

Perhaps my heart had been hardened by the recent tragedies, but I wasn't feeling nearly as nervous as I might have felt a few months prior. I couldn't fight with kunai, but I could still fight in my own way. I had people I wanted to protect too, just like Kyohei, Naruto, and everyone else. I didn't have a 'nindo', a ninja way, but I had a dream, and that was enough for me.

"Then you should probably get going." He replied after a few moments of consideration. "Take Aki, though. I can't go with you, but he can."

I didn't have the heart to argue with him even if I had wanted to. In fact, the idea of having Aki with me gave me a large bout of reassurance. If anything were to happen, Aki would be able to help, or at least get a message to Kyohei.

 _Don't be silly, nothing's going to happen. You'll just be meeting a contact, nothing dangerous._

"Alright." I agreed with a small bob of the head before glancing towards the stove. "Oh, but the nimono -"

"I'll finish it. Don't worry about that." His tone held an air of disbelief, as if wondering why I would be concerned about stewed kabocha over everything else.

I collected my things in silence, slipping a few items into my satchel as though I were just making an ordinary trip to the market instead of heading off to meet a contact from the Resistance.

The air still felt tense and unresolved as I slipped into my sandals by the door and slung my satchel over my shoulder. I glanced at Kyohei, only to find his troubled gaze avoiding mine and centered instead on the floor beneath his feet.

"Stay safe." It was all he said before he turned to the side, seeming as if he had more to say but was unwilling to put his thoughts into words.

"I will." Came my two-syllabled response, tone soft but laden with a heavy feeling I couldn't quite place. "I'll see you for dinner."

And those were the last words spoken between us as Aki and I left, embarking on the beginning of a journey that would re-make my entire identity.

The door shut firmly behind me and I took my first step forward.

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* * *

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" _How do you stay strong?"_

Her words echoed in his head as he stirred at the pot of nimono absentmindedly. His grip was a little too tight on the wooden cooking utensil, and he checked himself when he felt the wood beginning to splinter under his tight grasp.

The house was quiet, and much less warm and cozy as it normally felt without her presence there to brighten things.

His mind was a mess, his thoughts all over the place as he thought about their conversation and his own emotions. He chose to focus on that one question she had posed instead of the worry he felt for her that threatened to eat him alive.

Her words had been a double-edged sword.

On one hand, he knew she would never understand what it meant to be a soldier, a professional killing machine – and that was a good thing, he didn't want her to have to bear that burden. On the other, the fact that she couldn't understand that part of him made it hard to open up about the things that troubled his soul.

It scared him at times, to think of what he'd become, of how terrifyingly easy it was to take a life with no remorse. But that was the way of the work, and it was how one survived in this world of ninja. The powerful shinobi were the ones who wrote history, the ones who were able to protect their families.

He didn't kill because he liked it, he did it so that others could live in peace, so that they wouldn't have to bear the same type of burden that he did. It was a sacrifice he was willing to make. He was willing to play the bad guy and get his hands dirty if it meant the prosperity of his family.

The children who played in the streets, the families that slept peacefully in their beds at night, the merchants who were able to come and go freely and without fear – they were able to do so because shinobi did what was necessary in order to assure their safety.

And there was more to it than that, so much more.

But it was something she could never truly understand. Kimari had never taken a life, and Kyohei hoped she would never have to. It changed a person, and usually not in a good way, but it had to be done. So, he would bear his burden in silence. He'd made the choice, and he would deal with the consequences it brought.

" _How do you stay strong?"_

It was a tricky question for any shinobi.

How do you stay strong? How do you kill for something you may or may not believe in? What right did you have to take a life on the basis of political agenda? How did you leave for mission after mission, knowing that you would return stained in the blood of your targets, targets who likely had families waiting for them? What made you any better than your enemy? What could you possibly cite to convince someone that you deserved to live but they did not?

Many times, those questions did not have answers. Perhaps it was better that way, and perhaps it was even better not to ask questions at all. It was easier the less you thought about it.

On the tip of the iceberg, the gut reaction would be to cite the 'Will of Fire' or protecting the village, like a knee-jerk type of response in defense to an invasive question. And for some that was true, and for others it was another reason.

Some wanted power, some wanted to protect the village, some wanted the pay, some wanted the chance to be able to rise in rank – there were many aspects that went into that answer of why one became a shinobi, but very rarely were they the answer as to how one retained their strength. How _did_ one stay strong after slaughtering others in the name of a village and an ideology?

It was an answer that had evolved for Kyohei.

In the beginning, he had been lost. He had been brought to this universe of ninja and feudal lords with no explanation, just seconds after becoming a statistic in a war. Just a flash of light from an IED and a moment of terror and then he was here, with no time to cope or process the fact that he was dead, yet somehow very much alive. He had been brought here without knowing why, and that had left him alone and without a sense of purpose. How did one go about life without purpose? And Kyohei had lacked purpose for many years.

He'd chosen the path of a shinobi because it was the only thing he knew how to do well. He already had the mind and mentality of a soldier, and he knew what duty was. Choosing the life of a shinobi made it easier to cope with the feeling of purposelessness. It was easier to take orders and just live as a machine than to try and process how on earth he'd found himself here.

Becoming a shinobi was what had saved him and allowed him to adjust to the new role he'd been given, eventually shedding Ivan's skin and stepping into Inuzuka Kyohei's. For a time he had almost forgotten about Ivan.

He had floundered as a youth in Konoha, acing the academy with top marks and impressing his teachers with raw skill and talent, but lacking the purpose and drive to take him anywhere. His genin sensei had been ready to ask for him to be transferred to the genin corps, unable to handle a student who clearly lacked purpose and passion.

And then Hiruzen found him, which became the catalyst he had needed to truly begin to live here as a member of society and not just feeling as though he were an outsider playing pretend. Hiruzen had given him a purpose, a vision of a greater future of peace. He'd been plucked out of his genin team and transferred straight to an ANBU squad, and it was there he found purpose and truly began to excel.

That was when he really began to care about his family, the village, and his existence here. That time of transition was what it took for Ivan to begin seeing through the eyes of Kyohei, as one person; it was when he had truly begun to see himself as part of the narrative of this new life instead of just watching a story play out.

That was also when he realized that he had the power to change their fates.

Kyohei had been naïve in the beginning, thinking that perhaps he could change all the bad things that were destined to happen, thinking that he could alter the timeline to his preference and help Hiruzen attain the peace he so desperately sought.

So, he devoted himself to the Hokage and his mission, and began to live again with a perfect balance between Ivan and Kyohei. He had become neither one or the other, but had instead reconciled two identities into one.

And it had all been fine and well – up until he met Lamees.

Lamees, who had also balanced her identity and become somebody new while retaining the old self, had taken his life and turned it upside down.

Everything he had ever believed he now questioned. Everything he had ever wished for he was now rethinking. All his plans for a bright future, they had all been re-centered around her, and he wasn't bothered by that. Now he wasn't sure he wanted anything at all if she couldn't be there with him. Imagining his life without her made him feel empty.

It was an idea that would have sent him into a fit of laughter just half a year ago, when he'd first been assigned to watch her. If somebody had told him back then that his mindset and loyalties would have changed so drastically, and all because of one woman, he would have written them off as crazy.

And yet, here they were.

When had he let himself get so soft? When had this happened? How had he not noticed it? He'd been a cocky shinobi, a rising star in their ranks and a rowdy bachelor, on the fast track to becoming one of the very best and re-writing history in his favor. But all of that he'd been willing to give up in an instant when he discovered her existence here.

He had been willing to drop everything for her, even after finding out that she didn't know why they were here either.

Kyohei was never one to be very in touch with his feelings or emotions. Ivan had come from a family structure that had encouraged manliness to an extreme, and he'd never truly learned how to confront his inner emotions in a healthy manner. He'd never had a decent father figure in his life, and he'd been left to mature into a young man on his own.

The only thing he'd ever learned from his father was that he didn't want to end up like him. It was for that reason that Kyohei had never touched alcohol, not once. He'd never raised his hand against a woman, child, or animal, unless it was on the battlefield. But knowing _what not to do_ wasn't quite the same as knowing _what to do_.

No crying, no weaknesses, no signs of emotion – that was what he'd thought it meant to be a man. But Kimari had shown him how wrong he was. He was changing, learning how to process his emotions and deal with them in a healthy manor. He was learning lessons he ought to have learned a long time ago, and she was inspiring him to do better.

He had learned that being softer, kinder, and gentler didn't necessarily mean he was weaker for displaying those sentiments. In fact, being able to embrace those things made him stronger for it.

And in the same way that she was having a good effect on his life, he had seen the change in her as well. She was more outspoken, bolder in her words and actions, and stronger of heart than she had been when they'd first met. She was slowly growing physically, emotionally, and mentally stronger, growing in resilience and quiet resolve. He was proud of her.

Kimari was on a journey, and she had changed so much since their first meeting, same as him. She was no longer the polite and timid young woman who had cowered in front of him and hid behind etiquette. He could see a warrior rising within her, now that she was free to become one.

That brought him happiness. He didn't push her forward, he only helped to clear the path. This success and growth was something she had accomplished all on her own, and he was glad to have been by her side to see it happen. He had given her the tools she needed to blossom into whatever she wanted to become, and she had capitalized on it.

They were both changing, but it was a good type of change, one that left them feeling better about themselves and each other.

These last few months had been some of the best of his life, both this one and the one before. He'd never known what it felt like to be devoted to another human being before. As Ivan, he'd taken care of his mother, sending most of his military salary to her when the paychecks came in, but that was different. He'd never known what this type of connection felt like. The random women he'd wooed for the fun of it, the passing distractions, none of it amounted to what he felt now, not even close.

He wasn't sure exactly when it happened; perhaps it had been gradual, so slight that he'd had trouble recognizing what was happening until it threatened to consume him whole.

" _How do you stay strong?"_

Kyohei laughed to himself, though his tone was devoid of any humor and the sound came out somewhat strangled.

 _Stupid girl._

He let his eyes dart up to the kitchen window, looking at the pathway that led from their secluded home by the forest towards the clan entrance. She had long disappeared from view, but his eyes remained glued to the worn, grassy trail.

He could imagine her though, her image coming to life clear as day in his mind; her blouse tucked into those baggy monpe pants she liked and her hair made messy by the wind and her daily activities. A soft and gentle smile on her lips.

 _Can't you see, Kimari? Don't you feel it too?_

He closed his eyes, sighing softly as the wooden spoon fell limply from his grasp and into the pot. In that moment, he felt weak, he felt defeated. And yet, at the same time, he felt strong.

Emotions continued to turn about inside his chest, but one stood out among all of them. He could feel it clearly, that one, horribly annoying and inconvenient emotion that he was assured would most likely get him into trouble.

He ran a hand through his hair out of habit as he let out another short laugh, his tone a strange embodiment of both warmth and utter disbelief. Hot steam from the simmering dish wafted against his face, but he had long since forgotten about the kabocha stewing in the pot.

 _It's you. You're my strength._


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N - I'm aliiiiive! I was fasting the month of Ramadan and made that my priority because it is the holiest time of year for us, but now that Ramadan is over and my cold is gone, I'm back and ready to crank out some more chapters. Thank you all as always. Your reviews are so kind and I'm so happy you guys are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it.**

 **Much love!**

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Heartbeat and footsteps went hand-in-hand as I traversed down the main road that led towards the Yamanaka flower shop.

Everything felt different, as if something monumental had shifted, but as I walked onward and watched the many villagers continuing their daily lives and routines, it became apparent that the shift was one that had occurred within myself.

I felt as though I were now an outlier, independent, a lone wolf, and the gravity and implications of my new affiliations were sure to be noticed. Someone was bound to see it. Any moment now a woman or man would see past the mask I was wearing on my face, or perhaps my heart would beat loudly enough to clue in a suspicious shinobi that I was something other than what I seemed. Any minute now I would surely be taken in to custody, dragged kicking and screaming to the T&I unit. Somebody would smell it on me, anybody might see.

Yet, despite a paranoid mind attempting to convince me otherwise, none of this came to pass. The world continued to turn, and nobody paid me any more attention than before. I continued on my path as normal and was largely ignored by shinobi and civilians alike.

Civilians were still busy with reconstructions and rebuilding what had been destroyed during the invasion. Women sold fish and vegetables in the market as they normally did. Old men continued their games of mahjong, go, and shogi as they sat outside drinking tea and discussing politics, albeit a bit more quietly than they had before. And although there were more shinobi than ever patrolling the streets, almost as if the war we were fighting was inside the village and not outside of it, they paid me no mind.

I was overlooked, as I always had been.

I was a civilian woman, a housewife, a being with little to no chakra reserves who had rarely stepped foot outside the village, and a well-mannered and obedient citizen who had only gained a small notion of popularity by being involved with the village Jinchuuriki and marrying into a shinobi clan. And now that the dust had settled after my marriage and Naruto was gaining more popularity and friends within the village, my actions were not seen as radical as they had been almost half a year ago.

After the death of a Hokage, a world-wide war threatening our borders, and a dangerous and continuous shift of power towards one man who now sat in the Hokage's chair, people had far more serious things to worry about than trivial gossip.

And in the same way I was likely to be looked over without a second thought, so was Sumi – the fashionista tailor who painted on an airheaded façade along with her makeup in the morning.

To anybody else, I was a housewife who had married above my station and left tradition behind. To anybody else, Sumi was a ditzy young woman who cared more for fashion and the latest clothing and makeup trends than for the politics of men.

And if you weren't just anybody else, if you could see us for what we truly were, we were _much_ more. But nobody thought to look to the civilians, especially not towards the women. And so, we were looked over and left to ourselves.

I could see now why the Resistance had as much success as it did. For who else could be so easily ignored other than the ones you might suspect the least?

 _Keep going. Act normal. They don't know, they can't possibly know._

My mental mantra was repeated until I was able to convince myself that I was not as transparent as I somehow believed myself to be.

 _No need to freak out, you're just meeting a contact, not pulling off the heist of the century._

It would be fine. It had to be fine, because I couldn't afford it not to be fine. There was too much at stake.

So, I continued, my face as grim as the many other civilians during the times of war. It appeared that, no matter how vigorously the village attempted to return to a state of normalcy, things were not the same. A sense of gloom seemed to linger, along with a dark shadow of foreboding on the horizon.

The fighting had not yet become intense; as of now our nation and the other nations were still forming alliances, signing wartime treaties, and beginning to organize their forces in preparation for military campaigns and combat. But the impact of wartime was already beginning to show its ugly head in our communities.

Children, freshly graduated from the academy and boasting their new ranks after wartime promotions, walked about proudly displaying their new flak jackets. Radios were kept on at all times to receive updates from Danzo. Propaganda posters were being plastered over any and all surfaces, and food rationing had already been put into effect. Kyohei and I had received our ration cards the morning prior.

Staples like rice, salt, tofu and meats were being allocated based on family size in preparation for the food shortages that would come later. The rest we would purchase ourselves, but prices were already going up for simple things like vegetables or soy products. I had already stocked up on a few things I knew would likely increase in price in the months to come, taking advantage of the relatively low prices for the time being like many others were already doing. A few Inuzuka civilians had already started working on a communal garden within the compound to ensure our clan would not go hungry when the war and rationing inevitably got worse.

And it would, if my first experience during wartime in this world remained true.

Thinking back, wartime in Konoha had been horrible the first time I'd lived through it, and I doubted it would be much better this time around. The village was a prosperous one, surrounded by fertile lands and many resources, but even so we had suffered.

Without trade from our foreign neighbors, the land of Fire had suffered economically. The currency had inflated until the price of a bag of rice was worth two weeks of wages, and many had forgone printed money altogether in favor of trading and bartering things like rations, home grown vegetables, and textiles.

What was more, our two biggest trading partners were likely to become our enemies in this war, which meant a halt of all goods in and out of our lands; which in turn left the economy stagnate. But nations like Suna and Iwa, two large superpowers and allies in this world of ninja, would suffer even more.

Neither nation had much arable land to farm. Iwa was mostly rocky and desolate, and Suna was compromised of mainly desert terrain with a few oases scattered throughout – and that meant they relied on foreign trade for produce and crops, which was also likely why they were pushing to expand their borders into the Land of Rivers and the Land of Waterfalls, both fertile regions with much water and arable land.

Iwa and Suna may have already formed an alliance and outnumbered our own forces in sheer strength and size, but they would be hard pressed to feed their citizens and soldiers without foreign trade. But so would we, for such were the ways of war. I had a feeling our situation regarding food would be better than that of Iwa and Suna, but it would no doubt result in hard times for the civilian and shinobi within our lands as well.

There had been many times when my grandfather and I would eat simple meals of rice and field vegetables during the war I had grown up in. And when the rice ran low, we made congee instead, a way to stretch the resource and fill our stomachs.

I had always been a resourceful woman, both in this life and the last, so hopefully we would get by alright. Naruto would be put out without ramen readily available for him, however.

Teuchi's stand had already closed in preparation. It was likely they would re-open when the war and the rationing were over, because it would be hard to acquire all the items required to make a bowl of ramen when those ingredients became a luxury. And they would, it was only a matter of time.

No wonder faces looked so grim. Everyone was preparing for the hard times ahead, and so was I.

Another reason why nobody would notice me. There were far more important things to be preoccupied with than a housewife delivering a wrongly delivered package to its rightful owner. I was the last thing anybody would be worried about at the moment.

Even the more reserved civilians who had once sneered at me for my breaking free of the shackles of their traditions now payed me no mind. It was as if I had done nothing at all. War had a way of doing that – people often realized the importance of setting realistic priorities when situations became dire.

As of now, a girl who had turned her back on tradition and married into a ninja clan was of little importance when compared to the war on our borders. My five minutes of fame were over, and I had been forgotten in the wake of actual problems. The only whispers in the streets from now on would be of war and battles and politics instead of gossip.

A pity it took a war to get people to keep their mouths shut.

My pondering upon war and gossip and the changing social setting were a small blessing, for they kept my mind occupied as the flower shop came into view. I had distracted myself long enough to momentarily push my paranoia to the back of my mind, but now it raged anew within my heart as I stepped through the door of the Yamanaka's shop.

"I'll be right with you!"

I was immediately graced with the light voice of Yamanaka Ino, who was already in a conversation with another customer. I nodded with a small smile, fiddling with the brown string on the package absentmindedly as I perused through displays of flowers, suddenly feeling as though I would quite like to turn tail and head back home.

Who was I going to meet? What instructions would I be given? How would things proceed from here? Where was the contact?

The time was right. In fact, I was a minute or so late, but there were only two other people in the flower shop with me, and neither seemed like a likely option. I highly doubted Ino was involved in any of this, and the middle-aged man she was talking to at the counter had yet to take notice of me.

I bit my lip indecisively while the minutes continued to pass slowly by as I pretended to examine the many flower displays. They were all arranged just so, perfectly complimenting each other in the traditional art of flower arrangement, but I paid little mind to the simple and elegant beauty of it.

My palms had begun to sweat, and if I hadn't been so nervous about being watched as I waited for something to happen, I might have wiped them on my monpe pants in a very unladylike fashion.

Time continued to pass.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes, nothing.

I had yet to be approached. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I had imagined this all going down a bit differently. Perhaps Sumi had gotten the address wrong? Had the contact been compromised?

Could this be a trap? Was somebody watching? Could it be the Resistance testing me, seeing how I operated in a situation like this?

My heart stilled at the possibilities that seemed endless.

"Sorry that took so long! How can I help you?" Came the chirping voice of the young Yamanaka as the man exited the flower shop with a bundle of hydrangeas, addressing her next customer in a polite tone. I snapped out of it then, shoving aside all the uncomfortable and nervous thoughts to focus on just doing as I'd been instructed. I had to trust that this was all as it ought to be.

I quickly made my way to the counter she stood behind. Perhaps I just needed to deliver the package first before I met whoever it was I was supposed to meet?

Setting the package down on top of the counter, I gently pushed it towards her.

"Hello, Yamanaka-san. I believe this was sent to me by mistake, it looks like it was addressed to your household."

Her eyes took a look of understanding immediately.

"Oh, that's probably my mom's." She stated as she held up the paper-wrapped package for inspection of a return address. "Yup! It's from her tailor, probably some of the newest Spring fashions from the capitol."

"Really?" I responded, attempting to seem at ease as I made light conversation, albeit somewhat awkwardly. I wasn't sure what came next. I'd delivered the package, so what now? "Your mother must be very well dressed."

That got a small laugh from the young teen across the counter, mixed sentiments of pride and exasperation flashing through her eyes.

"That's Okaa-san for you, she's always up to date and dressed to impress."

I smiled in return, but it was quickly dropped from my face when a sliding door to the back of the flower shop was opened and eloquent voice spoke both softly and sharply in lieu of her daughter's statement.

"As a woman should be." Came a quip from the woman who had just entered into the shop from her family's side of the building. "War in no excuse for a lack of decency in dressing standards. And stand up straight, Ino, dear. I shan't have my daughter slouching."

Ino rolled her shoulders back immediately at her mother's words, giving a quick 'yes ma'am' as she did so.

It was easy to see from a quick glance that Ino held much respect for her mother's class, and the young girl was a fine mix of her father's shinobi blood and her mother's elegant grace. It was also clear that her mother must have come from a wealthy family, perhaps even one related to the local daimyo. That type of elegance was something that was carefully bred and refined, a tell-tale sign of noble upbringing.

Ino's mother was tall, taller than my height as she stood with a type of regal posture that demanded the attention of any room she might enter. She held herself as though she were worthy of that attention, and her serene expression and dainty movements made one believe it were so.

She moved with grace and her steps seemed to drift over the wooden floors as she made her way to where we stood. Not a hair was out of place, and her modern appearance was prim and proper despite the wearing of the latest, trendsetting fashions.

The woman stopped a few paces from me and gave me a look up and down, analyzing my slightly wrinkled shirt and hastily thrown back hair in the half-up, half down style with a gaze that expertly hid her disapproval.

"I am Yamanaka Himeko." She announced her name as if it were a blessing, and the softness of which she spoke almost made it seem as such. She continued. "And you must be the new Inuzuka bride. It is a pleasure."

I checked myself then, stopping my open gawking at the regal looking woman and stuttering out a polite response.

"The pleasure is mine." I gave a small bow, the polite action feeling somewhat foreign to me now that I had distanced myself from the traditional mannerisms I had been raised with. I lived among wolves now, where there was no need for those manners and traditions. "I'm Inuzuka Mari, mate to Inuzuka Kyohei."

Ino's voice cut in then, understanding and excitement dawning on her after my introduction.

"I thought you looked familiar! You're Kiba-kun's new sister and Naruto-kun's friend, right?"

 _Naruto-_ _ **kun**_ _? Looks like Naruto has been doing well with making friends._

I supposed she had probably seen Naruto, Kiba, and I out and about the village before the attack that had launched us into a war. With Naruto and Kiba's new friendship, the other genin were warming up to him more quickly than they had in the original plot, a small blessing for Naruto.

The thought brought a small smile to my lips. I knew that he had made good friends with Kiba, and then with Shikamaru and Chouji, but I had not assumed that Ino would regard him with anything other than vehement disapproval, as she had in the original series I remembered.

"Ah, yes that's me." I gave a soft nod along with the reply. "Have you seen Naruto lately? Is he doing alright? I've been trying to find time to see him, but the curfew and my responsibilities have made it hard to get out of the compound."

"Oh, he's alright. He's been training really hard with Sasuke-kun and Forehead-girl. I think they're training with chakra control with Kakashi-sensei by the docks today if you want to try and catch them." She informed me, looking somewhat sour that she couldn't have been spending her time stalking after her beloved crush instead of behind a counter at her family's flower store.

"Thank you, I'll try to swing by. Kiba will be jealous." I grinned at her, happy to know of Naruto's whereabouts. Perhaps I would be able to catch them before sunset, when the curfew was strictly enacted.

"You seem to have settled in well with your new family." Commented Ino's mother, drawing both our attention back towards her once more. "I have also heard you have taken in a ward?"

My mind flashed momentarily to Aoi, who had likely awoken from her nap by now. Knowing her, she was probably crying, and knowing Kyohei, he was probably ready to rip his hair out in a panic. The way he became so flustered around her was endearing…and also amusing, there was no denying it.

"Yes, she was orphaned during the invasion. We're fostering her for the time being." My voice was serious as I responded this time, the memories of the trauma that had resulted from that horrible day flashing through my mind and sobering me instantly.

"A noble cause." She informed me, looking at me with an unreadable gaze before voicing a light question. "Would you care to stay for tea? We've some jasmine left and I imagine such leaves will soon be hard to come by."

I faltered a moment.

The best response was no, no matter how nice the jasmine tea sounded. I was still in limbo, waiting for the contact to reach out, if they ever did. It was now about twenty minutes past the time I was supposed to have been approached.

But what would I do after declining? Hang around the flower shop and continue waiting? Just go home and assume something had been compromised?

"Oh, I really can't, I have an appointment of sorts that I'm already late for." I replied vaguely, eyes glancing towards the clock on their wall once more as I resisted the urge to frown.

"I believe you'll be right on time, on the contrary." Himeko's lips gave a gentle lilt upwards, as if she knew something I did not. "Really, I must insist."

It hit me at once, the meaning behind her words in an instance sinking in.

It was her. _She_ was my contact. Ino's mother, Yamanaka Himeko, a member of the Resistance.

My mind spun for a brief moment as the facts set in and multiple questions arose in my mind. I couldn't particularly remember much about the Yamanaka family aside from the major players, and I was uncertain as to what type of woman she was. Was she also a shinobi? How had she come to be working with the Resistance? Had she contributed anything to the original plot? Did her husband know what she was up to? Was she truly my contact?

There was only one way to know.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you." I changed course immediately, accepting the invitation with feigned grace and carefully masked suspicion.

"How delightful!" The woman smiled serenely as she went on, motioning me to follow her into their home that connected to the flower store. "I have been meaning to meet with you, but life often finds ways of surprising us and tying us up, I'm sure you understand."

Oh yeah, I understood that alright. My life here had been all sorts of surprises and strange situations since Naruto and Kyohei had barreled into it. I did my best to hide my amusement at the thought as I followed towards the sliding doors and stepped into their home.

"I have been meaning to ask if you should have any interest in joining the Allied Mother's Force of Konohagakure, seeing as you now have a charge of your own I should suspect your interests align with ours. I shall explain to you more over tea if you have interest." She chattered on, waving lightly towards Ino before she closed the sliding door behind us. "Ino, dear, if you could please brew the tea."

Ino nodded dutifully at the request before the door was shut.

We walked in silence, towards a beautifully decorated sitting room where I assumed we would be taking tea. The room was in the traditional style, with ornate floor furniture and many detailed works of art or calligraphy lining the walls.

"Please, Inuzuka-san, take a seat." She gestured softly towards the seat across from hers at a low table of deep mahogany and carved motifs on the sides.

I did as instructed, folding my legs beneath me and sinking into the seiza position as she had done.

Silence stretched between us as we studied each other. Neither of us moved, neither spoke. The silence remained until Ino came a few minutes later carrying a pewter tray of tea held in fanciful porcelain alongside perfectly arranged snacks.

I made no move to touch the tea until the young teen had left and Himeko had taken the initiative to lift her own porcelain cup to serene lips.

I followed suit, pausing a moment to inhale the soft floral scent of the jasmine leaves before taking a small, hesitant sip and setting my teacup back onto the saucer with a delicate 'tink'.

"You'll need to do better at hiding your reactions if you wish to play the game, my dear."

I glanced up to meet her gaze.

 _So, I was right. It's her._

"I'll do my best." I gave a neutral answer after a few moments, letting her keep the ball in her court for the time being. I was here to learn, after all.

She hummed softly at my response.

"You have many flaws that will need to be remedied before you are ready to operate on your own. There's much to learn in order to further our cause and keep your head on your shoulders. And I do mean that quite literally." I steeled myself at her words, forcing that nervous lump in my throat back down and giving my best poker face. She paused, watching my face for any sign of emotion and continuing when she found none. "You have potential, however, that much is true."

"Thank you." I replied quietly, unsure of what else might be appropriate to say.

"It was not a compliment, simply an observation." She returned breezily, and I felt my cheeks heating despite my attempt at keeping a mild façade. "I meant that your potential lies in your background, appearance, and demeanor - all quite plain, which is what awards you the chance at success."

"You mean that it will be easier to go unnoticed, right?" I questioned, before taking another small sip of the floral tea.

I let the taste of the Jasmine linger on my tongue a moment before swallowing, the warm liquid soothing my nerves to some extent.

"Yes and no." Himeko began. "You're a pretty young woman, but quite unremarkably plain. No features distinguish you from any other girl your age in the Land of Fire. Both of these aspects are useful. Pretty enough to seduce a man if you need to, yet plain enough to slip through the crowds without drawing attention."

I choked on my tea at the mention of seduction. She cast me an amused glance as she pressed on while I coughed and gasped and attempted to steel my nerves once more.

"Similarly, your previously lower status and poor background will make it easy for anyone to assume you are both dull and daft, which will provide you an easy and believable ruse to hide behind."

I was unsure whether to feel honored or offended. In the end, I chose silence.

She was right, of course. If anyone was to read my civilian file they would find that I had dropped out of the civilian academy at a young age and had only made average marks before that. They would also find a clean record, a very normal appearance, and an overall boring file. I continued to pause at one thing she had mentioned, however.

"I won't have to…you know…" I choked on the word, face flushing as she chuckled in amusement.

"Seduce?" She offered the controversial word back to me with a mirth-filled gaze.

I nodded dumbly, unable to summon my protests to my lips. She gave a small laugh, the sound light and tinkling.

"Likely not in the way I imagine you are currently envisioning it. But it does pay to know the extent of your feminine charms. You'd be surprised at how easily a man lets his guard down in the presence of a pretty young woman batting her eyelashes and giggling at anything he says."

My breath of relief was nearly inaudible.

A minute or so passed as we drank our tea, refilled our cups, and snacked. As we sipped on hot liquid, I mulled over her observations. At least, until a seemingly random question fell from her lips.

"Tell me, Inuzuka Mari, what do you know of the art of Ikebana?"

 _Flower arranging?_

I must have let my startled emotions show on my face, for I saw the slightest quirk of her lips at my reaction.

"I remember some from my academy days, but not much." I admitted slowly after a while, curious as to where she might be going with this.

"Do they not teach the subject at length?" She inquired before taking another sip of her tea. "I was under the assumption that basic to intermediate ikebana was taught to all girls."

"I left the academy at a young age." I felt embarrassed to admit it, as I always did. "We needed extra income at the time."

She did not judge at the information, however, as I had assumed a woman of her station might. Instead she provided a simple response.

"I see. I'll have much to teach you then."

"Pardon?"

She eyed me over the steaming cup of tea, steam distorting the brown irises that gazed back.

"We have multiple ways of transmitting information to each other, this is just one of many, but perhaps the most common and easy way to send a simple and undetailed message." She spoke assuredly, setting her tea cup down again. "You will come every other week to buy flowers from the Yamanaka flower shop. Never on the same day and never at the same time. If I have a message for you it will be hidden in the arrangement nearest to the back wall."

That sounded…too simple.

"Does it really work? With so many people who know Ikebana, how do you keep your messages a secret?" Came my dubious question. I failed to see how you could transmit messages via flowers if a good portion of the village women could potentially understand what it meant.

"It works when you use your own code." She stated plainly, gaze unwavering. "Once you re-learn the classic rules of Ikebana, you'll learn our own transmission code. For example, if you place a small bouquet of daisies and poppies on your window, we will know that you are being followed. The red poppy means a warning in our codebook, the white daisy we use to convey that someone or something is being watched."

"And what if I need to convey a message that has specific details? Like names or places?" Came my next question, chest buzzing with anticipation now.

"If you have specific information, you'll write it down as an encrypted message, and conceal it inside the hemline of a ripped garment. Take the garment to Sumi to be repaired. She'll find the information and pass it on. That's only for emergencies, however. You'll be given other contacts around the village to deliver information to, it's safer to maintain variety with your contacts."

I gave a slow nod.

I supposed that made sense. By having a diverse range of contacts, you would draw less suspicion to yourself and to them. Visits and passing of information would look more like spur of the moment grocery trips or a pit stop on the way to say hello to a friend. It would make your schedule seemingly more random and less easy to track.

If I had all of the sudden begun to visit certain people at specific times each week when I had previously not done so, it might draw attention.

 _Contacts, secret messages, codes, underground networks, spying…_

I stared at my half empty cup of tea that was still emitting whispy tendrils of steam upwards, contemplating all the information that had been shared as I truly began to comprehend how much my life would change with this decision.

"Not regretting signing up, are you?" She asked, and my eyes snapped up to meet her guarded gaze.

"No." I breathed a quick answer, attempting to reassure her. "It's just a lot to take in…"

"I understand, more than you'd think." A soft smile graced her thin lips, and it looked as though she was reminiscing for a brief moment before she continued. "It gets easier, though you'd do well to not let your guard down."

"Your husband and family, do they know?" I asked suddenly, the question spilling out of my mouth before I had a chance to stop myself.

She had a faraway look in her eyes as she answered.

"That's how we met, it was many years ago. I was living in the capitol, a member of high society passing on information between the Resistance and our late Hokage of the political scene there. Inoichi was my contact." She sighed, the sound somewhat forlorn. "One thing led to another, and – well, you know how love goes."

I resisted the urge my lips gave to turn upwards at her assumption.

 _If only you knew._

Kyohei and I had quite the believable farce going on. The fact that we had a solid friendship made it easy for others to believe we were happily married and completely infatuated with each other.

Love was something I wasn't sure I knew much about at all, contrary to Himeko's statement. I'd never had a romantic relationship in either life, and I wasn't sure I would even be able to identify any of those types of feelings if I had them in the first place.

It was something I'd never given much thought to, something for other people, but perhaps not written for me.

Whatever bond Kyohei and I had, it was a strong one. I wasn't sure if I had a name for it, but I wasn't sure it needed a name or category.

It just _was_. We just _were_.

And that was that - or so I liked to tell myself when I found those nagging thoughts and strange emotions trying to bubble up.

Himeko interrupted my jumbled thoughts with a statement that brought my mind back into focus.

"But that's beside the point." She announced, tone indicating that subject was one that had run its course. "We have a lot to teach you before you're ready to do anything. Let us begin, shall we?"

.

* * *

.

Big, tear-filled hazel eyes blinked warily at him, studying him intently as if trying to size the jonin shinobi up.

The former ANBU felt a bead of sweat run down his temple.

How the hell did Kimari do this? What tricks did that woman have up her sleeve when it came to childcare? It couldn't be that hard, so why was he failing so miserably?

He'd tried a bottle, but Aoi had refused the food. He'd tried rocking her awkwardly in his arms, but she had only squirmed uncomfortably and thrown a tantrum. He had checked for a soiled nappy, but had found nothing. He had tried everything he'd seen Kimari do, but for some reason, none of it had worked.

Aoi had only continued to cry. And it wasn't the cute type of crying that she did when she was bored or wanted attention, it was the ear-shattering shrieks that made him want to rip his hair out.

Aki whined, burying his massive furry head under large paws.

Kyohei ran a pair of frustrated hands over his face, dragging at his eyes and cheeks. Finally, he squatted down, making his face level with the crying infant he had placed in one of their arm chairs.

"Alright, kiddo, listen up." He began, the stern tone ignored by the crying baby. "This has got to stop."

His words were lost in the sea of wailing, and the child's face had begun to turn pink from the force of her crying.

"Can't you just give me a clue? A hint? Anything?" Kyohei demanded, an exasperated frown edging its way across his face.

More cries.

"How would you like it if I cried at you all the time, huh?" Kyohei was exhausted. Kimari had only been gone a few hours and Aoi had bawled and screamed the entire time. "You know what? Maybe that's not a bad idea, kami knows I've tried everything else already. It's worth a shot."

He ignored the disapproval his canine companion sent his way and squared his shoulders. With the next shrill scream from the child, he let one out as well, forcing his deep voice into an unnaturally high-pitched vibrato that hurt his throat and reverberated off the walls.

He put on a show, pretending to wipe at his eyes as he continued his girlish cries, matching Aoi's volume and pitch himself.

And then, silence. Sweet, sweet silence.

The now five-month-old baby had ceased her cries and was staring at him in open wonder, watching in what looked to be fascination as Kyohei mock cried back at her.

The first giggle that slipped from her little lips was one of the sweetest sound he swore he'd ever heard after hours of crying. The relief in his chest was monumental.

"You like the faces and the funny noises, huh? Well you're in luck, I'm full of them." He grinned wildly, over the moon at the fact that he had broken her nearly four-hour streak of sobs.

He sat on the floor and crossed his legs underneath him as he shoved his hand under his shirt to bring his palm to his arm pit. Moving his elbow up and down, he did what any man-child would do and made noises that resembled flatulence, which elicited even more giggles from the girl.

"Oh, you like that? Wait, wait, wait, let me show you my impression of a chicken-"

Aoi crowed in delight as Kyohei strut in circles and pretended to peck at things while making clucking noises, none of which sounded remotely chicken-like but still served their comedic purpose.

"Ha! It's pretty good, right? What should I do next, a sheep? How about a frog?"

The child only squealed in response as Kyohei crouched and began to hop like an amphibian.

His little show did not last very long, however. His and Aki's heads snapped up simultaneously when he felt the presence of a foreign chakra signature making its way towards his little cabin on the outskirts of their compound.

He straightened to his feet immediately, scooping up Aoi just as a sharp rap on the door was heard. It was a signature that felt familiar, but one he could not put a face to. It was unsettling, to an extent, but he made his way to the door as casually as he was able to open it, a now giggling baby swatting at his chin as he opened the wooden portal.

"Inuzuka Kyohei." The unfamiliar teen boy on his doorstep stated, voice almost robotic as he extended a scroll towards the jonin on house arrest. Not a question of his identity, but rather a statement.

Kyohei gave a small nod of acknowledgement as he took the scroll from the blank-faced boy, a ROOT agent no doubt. It was the first time he'd seen the boy, and that was a wonder in and of itself. Kyohei never forgot a face or a chakra signature, and the fact that he recognized the chakra but not the face of the teen was a good indication his assumption was correct.

The scroll was an official one, sealed by their new Hokage himself, the damn traitor sitting in his stolen tower and spewing hate through their radio system to stir the public to his cause. It would make sense that Danzo would now be integrating his secret and trusted forces into the public sphere. ROOT members would most likely be replacing the Hokage Guard and all other ANBU members.

The boy nodded back, eyes blank as he took a step back and vanished from sight without another word spoken between the two.

Kyohei's eyes narrowed as he closed the door behind him, balancing Aoi on his hip as he broke the official seal and unraveled the scroll to reveal the contents.

"About damn time." He muttered to himself as he tossed the scroll containing his new assignment details onto their kitchen table.

His new orders for reassignment had finally arrived, along with another more disturbing order towards the bottom of the scroll.

A low whine of disapproval from Aki made him pause for a moment, before he looked down at the infant in his arms, who only stared wide-eyed and curious back up at him.

"Oh hell, I'm not supposed to curse in front of you, am I?" Aki gave a warning bark at him as he let another light curse slip from his lips to grace the ears of the now silent child.

' _Aki is going to tell our Lady.'_ Came Aki's taunt in his mind, which brought a feral smirk to his face.

"If you tell her I cursed in front of Aoi, I'll tell her it was you who finished the last of the salted fish she wanted to use in her broth for tomorrow's dinner." Kyohei returned with a threat of his own, continuing when the massive hound fell silent. "Uh-huh, that's what I thought."

Aoi wiggled then, a tell-tale sign she wanted a change of position, so Kyohei set her down on their rug in the living room next to Aki, who began to lick at her face. Seeing that the child was once again entertained and laughing instead of bawling, he retreated to the kitchen to pick up the scroll again.

He re-read over the formal orders of his reassignment, which detailed he was to show up at his new post first thing in the morning.

 _Military Police, huh? I guess that's not too bad. But the rest…_

He set the scroll back down on the table, contemplating the new job posting as he sat down in one of the empty chairs there. He was sure that his former ANBU captain from all those years ago, who was now the head of the Military Police, must have pulled some strings to get him there. He was also sure that there was likely a reason behind that. He no longer trusted anything at face value.

But that part wasn't what bothered him.

What made his hair stand on end and his stomach coil in apprehension was the fact that he and his team had been formally summoned to the office of Shimura Danzo for questioning on the following afternoon.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Good news - I've got a chapter uploaded and am already working on the next! Bad news - I've damaged my wrist, that's why the updates have been slow. I have to wear a brace while the bone and tendons heal, and it really slows down how fast I can type or how much I can handle. But thank you for being patient and I hope it isn't too much of a wait.**

 **For this chapter: tw for references to mild child abuse/abusive household.**

 **(Thank you to everyone who wished me happy Ramadan and Eid, you all made me smile!)**

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Four pairs of eyes hard as stone stared blankly at the wall in front of them.

No words were spoken, no looks exchanged, and no signs of fear resonated on their faces. Nara Takamori, Hyuuga Shige, and Kido Yui stood at attention next to their captain, ready to face whatever might unfold. Kyohei admired their bravery, truly he did. They would need it for what came next.

It had been close to three hours now that they had been waiting outside Shimura Danzo's office, waiting to be called in for questioning after having been separated for weeks while each of them endured their house arrests. Kyohei hid his deep-seated annoyance at the wait behind stone-like features.

The bastard was probably doing it on purpose.

Danzo had done his part to make sure they didn't have a chance to communicate, and Kyohei was certain that his subordinates had likely been questioned individually following the attack on the village. The old man was paranoid, and rightfully so.

What Danzo didn't know was that they had planned for this before they even returned to the village, and that Kyohei and Takamori had been exchanging information tied to the antlers of the Nara deer for weeks.

Kyohei was sure that Danzo had kept them separated and on house arrest so that they would not be able to get a chance to fabricate a lie, though judging by the snippets of annoyed conversations from the civilian secretaries downstairs that he had heard by channeling some chakra to his ears, it looked like Danzo had his work cut out for him. There would be no way to know which ANBU squads had been inside or outside of the village at the time the attack had taken place.

According to what he had heard from their exasperated conversation a level beneath his feet, much of the mission records detailing almost all Jonin and ANBU missions had _mysteriously_ _disappeared_.

A coincidence that they had disappeared moments before the death of the former Hokage? Likely not.

That crazy old coot of a Hokage had saved his ass, and that of his team as well. And Kyohei had done his part too – he and his team had finalized their own alibi once they learned that they had fallen into a trap and that the village was likely undergoing a coup while they rushed home. Kyohei was glad that his Nara teammate had insisted they do so, even though it had been an inconvenience at the time. It had likely saved their lives.

The fact that they were all standing together for a group questioning signified to Kyohei that Danzo and his interrogators had not been able to find a hole in his subordinates' stories.

 _Either that or he already knows and wants you to think you're off the hook._ A nagging, doubtful voice spoke in the back of his mind. Kyohei's lips tightened in displeasure at the thought. Danzo was dangerous, and he certainly wouldn't rule out the possibility, even though it was smaller.

The door to the newly renovated office opened then, pulling Kyohei from his thoughts.

A blank face devoid of all emotion with a body clothed in the black and tan new regulation uniform gestured them inside.

"Hokage-sama will see you now." The monotonous voice stated, stepping to the side to allow Kyohei and his team to pass through the doors.

 _Definitely ROOT. Looks like Danzo's already re-made his own version of ANBU with people he trusts._

Kyohei was the first to step into the newly reconstructed Hokage office, eyeing the large room in veiled distaste.

What had once been a place filled with warmth and duty was now cold, plastered with propaganda posters, and painted a dull and dreary gray, as though Danzo had somehow managed to suck the life and morale out of the very building itself.

Shimura Danzo sat stiffly in his stolen Hokage's chair, his new robes and hat seeming to poison the image of the leader he wanted to portray himself as. He wore his new clothing proudly and looked at the former ANBU squad down the bridge of his nose.

He might have worn the newly sewn and crisp white robes of a Hokage, but all Kyohei saw was a snake playing dress up.

The door clicked closed behind them as they assembled themselves in a straight line with Kyohei on the far right.

"Squad Seven, the Special Operations Squad." Drawled the man behind the desk slowly, his one visible eye drifting over each of them, looking for a crack in the façade. Finding none, he continued. "Ah, excuse me, the former Special Operations Squad."

 _Go ahead and rub a little more salt in that wound, why don't you?_

Beneath his carefully polished and emotionless ANBU features, he was scowling internally.

A breath of silence before he began anew.

"I'd like to go over your mission reports one last time before formally reinstating each of you to your new duties." The traitor in the Hokage's hat shuffled through some loose papers and scrolls on his desk, before pulling out four uniform documents, presumably their falsified reports.

"As you wish, Hokage-sama." Kyohei returned dryly, earning him a sharp glance from Danzo.

"I don't recall hearing you ask for permission to speak in my presence, Inuzuka-san. Remember your place."

Yui glared openly, while Takamori's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Shige, to the surprise of none on their squad, remained composed, though his eyes spoke his heart's anger. Kyohei bit his tongue to keep a foul retort laden with even fouler curses locked safely inside his mouth.

A few moments of pause before Danzo spoke again.

"Kido, Yui." Danzo began, no doubt looking for the weakest link in their female companion. He was in for a surprise however, thought Kyohei smugly, for Yui was one of the strongest and most capable kunoichi he'd ever met. She had a firm resolve and iron heart beneath an innocent exterior. "Remind me again of which training grounds it was your squad was utilizing when the attack began."

Yui replied immediately, neither missing a beat nor breaking a sweat.

"It was the Nara's private training grounds, near the R&D labs on the eastern side of their lands." Her answer was quick and efficient, her voice bold enough that it made it feel as if any more questions might be in vain. Nevertheless, Danzo continued, shifting his gaze to the Nara standing next to her.

"Nara, Takamori. Would Nara Shikaku be able to confirm this? I already pulled your clan's records, your names were all listed as having reserved the training grounds at the same date and time that was mentioned in your statements, but was the clan head aware of this?"

Again, there was no pause in the requested answer.

"Hai, Hokage-sama." Replied Takamori in his typical, boredom-laced tone. His eyes were sharp, however, truly resembling a wolf in sheep's clothing. "Nara Yoshino stopped and observed our training for some time before leaving. If you pulled the records from my clan, you should have seen her signature of approval allowing us to use the training grounds that afternoon."

 _Well played, Takamori._

He knew that the Nara on his team had covered all these bases already, and it was Kyohei who had instructed him to do so. What he hadn't suspected though, was that he had convinced the clan head and his wife to help them cover their tracks. For whatever reason, Shikaku and Yoshino had agreed to lie for them and fudge their own records.

Kyohei stood a bit straighter. That meant they had more allies.

Danzo was silent a moment. Kyohei was sure that Shimura had already dug up as much as he could, and had likely seen Yoshino's signature, but was only asking to see if one of them slipped or gave any sign of treachery.

"Hyuuga, Shige." The hawk-like gaze landed on their pale-eyed companion next, though Shige remained unperturbed. Kyohei had always hated how stone cold the Hyuuga in their squad came off as, but counted it as a blessing now. "Precisely where did your squad join the counteroffensive? Why was the decision made to break ranks and split?"

"The decision was made by Inuzuka-taichou to split up our squad to different areas of the village, which I confirm was the most logical choice given the nature of the attackers and their positions, as well as the element of surprise they possessed. I'm sure that, with circumstances considered, you would also agree it was the rational option. Nara-san and I remained at the compound for some time, as the fighting was particularly intense there. Both clan heads of the Nara clan can affirm this."

Seeing that he would not gain any ground with the Nara or the Hyuuga, Danzo's gaze drifted once again to the fifteen-year-old kunoichi in their midst.

"Kido-san, where did you go during this time?"

"To assist with the evacuations of the Aburame clan children to bunker number four, Hokage-sama, the Aburame jonin escorting the children was killed. I took out the enemy and escorted them the rest of the way to the bunker myself, as I mentioned in my report."

Kyohei knew Yui well enough to know that this was not a lie. Judging by his instinct, he knew that she truly had been where she said she was during that time. That was a good thing; the more kernels of truth you weaved into your lie, the harder it was to see through.

Danzo looked as though he were ready to sigh.

"Your statements match eyewitness records and the words of the Aburame clan. My condolences as well, Kido-san. I had heard that both your parents were among the casualties."

Kyohei's gaze slid quickly to Yui. He hadn't realized that she had lost both her parents. But then again, it wasn't as if they'd had much time to chat over the last few weeks. House arrest had been one hell of a pain in his behind.

Kyohei made a mental note to ask Kimari to bake something for her later. He'd try to see what he could do for her as well. The girl was only fifteen, recently demoted from ANBU, and not of any clan. She would need help, especially with a war on the way.

He would talk to Tsume soon, to see what his clan could offer her. They had taken in wards before, perhaps they could do so again.

"Inuzuka, Kyohei."

Kyohei snapped his gaze from Yui to focus on the man behind the desk.

"Your reports mention that you went towards the forested territory of the Nara clan. Why did you deem fit to head to such an isolated area when you could have remained closer to the village center where the fighting was taking place?"

Kyohei heaved an internal sigh, careful not to let any emotion show through. He was about to be in trouble, and he knew it.

"I split from the team and responded to a distress signal I received from a member of my clan. I was able to rescue them and deliver them to a shelter before returning to the fight. I fought with Maito Gai and Hatake Kakashi afterwards. Both can attest to that."

Danzo's eyes narrowed a small fraction.

"And who, pray tell, did you split with your team to go and find, despite the fact that there were countless others who were much closer and could have used your assistance?"

Kyohei remained silent for a moment, and Danzo made his threat when Kyohei did not answer quick enough for his liking.

"If you are intent on withholding information, I have a Yamanaka at my disposal, but I'd hate to resort to drastic measures." Drawled the usurper, though Kyohei found it hard to believe his words to be genuine. 'Drastic' was Danzo's middle name. "Now, who did you prioritize over the lives of the other villagers?"

"…My wife, Hokage-sama." He returned steadily.

If looks could kill, Kyohei would have been multiple meters under in an instant. Danzo was quite clearly unimpressed to find where his priorities lay. He looked fairly disgusted, in fact.

"As a Jonin and ANBU commander I'm sure you're aware that prioritizing a personal relationship over the well-being of other citizens during a time of crisis is a serious and punishable offense."

"I am, Hokage-sama."

"Your decision was selfish in nature, unbefitting of a shinobi of Konoha." Countered Danzo, appraising the former ANBU commander coolly.

"It was, Hokage-sama." Kyohei agreed in a calm tone, for even he couldn't deny it.

A beat of silence before his voice came again.

"As much as I'd like to strip you of your rankings, we need all the able-bodied Jonin that the village has to offer. Instead, your pay will be docked by one-third and you will be placed on probation until I deem fit to lift it." Danzo said, tone official as he leaned back in his chair. "I trust you won't make the same mistake again, or I will see you court martialed."

Kyohei only nodded once, even if he didn't mean it.

At the end of the day, he was selfish. He would still choose Kimari again if presented the opportunity. He'd choose her over and over and over again, nothing would change that, not even a court martial or a death sentence.

He wasn't some knight in shining armor or some sort of honorable samurai from the stories – he was just a selfish idiot who was head over heels for a girl who was too oblivious to know it.

His clan, the rightful Hokage, and Inuzuka Mari would always come first.

It wasn't the most honorable choice, he realized that, but it's just how it was. Kyohei had never claimed to be honorable in the first place, and he could do nothing to change how he felt.

"Now that that's settled…" Danzo stood as he trailed off, walking slowly around the massive desk until he stood in front of their small, disbanded squad. "I will give each of you once last chance to add or subtract anything from this report before it's filed."

Four pairs of eyes like stone stared defiantly ahead, firm in their resolve and unwavering in loyalty to another man, another leader – and it wasn't the man who stood in front of them.

Danzo paced in front of them, walking slowly and eyeing each one of them with that small, beady eye of his.

"Suna claims that it was a four-man ANBU squad that assassinated their Kazekage and a handful of their own nin. That was their initial reason for declaring war, were you four aware of that?" He revealed suddenly, stopping directly in front of Kyohei.

"No, Hokage-sama." Kyohei responded emotionlessly, meeting his gaze unabashedly.

No room to falter, not even a bead of sweat. Nothing that could give Danzo any more reason to suspect them than he already did. The Inuzuka was aware that Danzo already suspected that the former Hokage had sent an ANBU squad behind Suna's borders, and that the same ANBU squad members were likely the ones who had stumbled upon the body of Kazekage and found themselves in a trap of an unknown enemies making.

But the fact that they were standing in this office, answering question after question, meant that Danzo had no proof, nothing that could confirm what he might suspect.

They would have to be careful, extremely careful. Just because Danzo had nothing to incriminate them with, didn't mean he wouldn't continue to dig, or to keep a constant surveillance on them. Surviving the invasion and securing the village had only been half the battle; this was where the true fight for survival began.

Danzo turned sharply after giving Kyohei one last, long look before continuing his pacing in front of them.

"I told the foreign dignitaries that this claim was ridiculous, of course. There were no records of an ANBU squad heading behind the borders of Suna. That would be considered an act of aggression, a violation of what little remained of our peace treaty." Danzo stated, almost airily. "However, if any of you should have information pertaining to this ludicrous claim of Suna, now is the time to make it known."

Silence stretched, making the seconds feel like minutes.

"It would be a shame," Began the man enveloped in the white robes, his voice taking a darker note to it. "To have what happened with Hatake Sakumo repeated. I have no wish to try anyone at the Military Tribunal. If any of you know _which squad_ could have been outside the village during the attack, I expect you hand over that information."

It dawned on Kyohei then that they were most likely not the only ones being interrogated, which eased his mind somewhat.

 _He doesn't know who it was, or even if he should believe Suna. There are twelve registered four-man squads besides ours, he doesn't know who to suspect._

 _He didn't set the trap._

None from the former Special Ops squad spoke, not a single word.

"I see." Murmured Shimura as he finally ceased his pacing to tread lightly back towards his desk and grab a small scroll off of the surface. "I'll read your official orders."

Kyohei fought the urge to sigh in relief as Danzo unfurled the scroll to hold it out before him and begin reading the official edict.

"As of today, the Special Operations Squad is officially disbanded and each member is formally and honorably discharged from service of the ANBU Black Ops. Hyuuga, Shige is reassigned to the Shinobi Military Tribunal Court. Nara, Takamori is assigned to the Research and Development branch. Kido, Yui is reassigned to the Village Kunoichi Medic corps, where she will receive training. Inuzuka, Kyohei is reassigned to the Military Police. None are granted permission to leave the village."

Kyohei had suspected as much.

Danzo's words rang in his ears as the elder man dismissed them to their homes, stating that their assignments would begin in the morning.

He'd gotten off easy with just a demotion and a pay cut, he'd honestly suspected he might be stripped of rank entirely, but what Danzo had said was true: there was a war going on, and even though Kyohei and his team, as well as most former ANBU, were not being assigned to the front lines, there was still plenty to do to help keep the order at home.

He was almost out the door when his name was called, prompting him to turn back towards the man in question.

He wiped his face of sentiment before turning back to meet the cool gaze of Shimura Danzo. "Hai, Hokage-sama."

The doors shut behind him, sealing him and the power-hungry fiend in an enclosed space once more. Kyohei couldn't help the feeling of unease that began to claw its way up his spine.

A pregnant pause filled the air, and Kyohei waited while his unease grew until that horrible silence was broken.

"You took a kunai once for Hiruzen, may the heavens grant his soul peace." Danzo said, reminiscing on the day that he had first attempted to assassinate the Hokage, as if it were a pleasant memory of sorts.

Kyohei nodded slowly, thinking back to that day.

He'd been young, a fresh ANBU recruit willing to do anything for his Hokage who had given him a newfound purpose in this confusing new world he had been reborn into. He remembered the chaos of the attack, as ANBU and other masked soldiers fought, tooth and nail. He remembered the panic he'd felt, and the drive to throw himself between sharp steel and his Hokage.

The steel of the kunai had been poisoned, and he had survived thanks to a team of medics who had worked day and night to concoct the correct antidote for him.

"You have always proven yourself to be a loyal shinobi, I have no doubt you will serve my regime well."

That wasn't so much of a statement as it was an order, the former ANBU noted. Kyohei wrestled with his natural instinct to snarl, keeping his face cold instead as he replied.

"I'll serve the office of the Hokage until my dying breath, that's my ninja way."

 _Too bad you're not my Hokage, it's not you I'll be serving._

Danzo nodded, gaze unreadable but seemingly appeased with the answer.

"Those who are loyal to me will be the ones most successful in the future. Should you wish to reclaim your status and honor, you shall do so through your service to me. Remember that. You are dismissed, Inuzuka-san."

With that last threat hanging in the air, Danzo seated himself at his desk once more, gesturing vaguely towards the door as he dismissed the Inuzuka from his presence.

Kyohei didn't need to be told twice. He didn't bother bowing, instead just pivoting on his heel and wrenching open the double doors to see himself out. If he had to stay another second in Danzo's presence he might have just lost it and tried to rip the man's throat out. His feet carried him quickly down the stairs and hallways until he burst from the entrance of the building.

He took a deep breath, feeling as though he could truly breathe again outside of the tense and stifling environment of the Hokage tower.

That had gone…surprisingly well, aside from the threat of a Yamanaka lobotomy hanging over his head. Kyohei wondered why Danzo hadn't already ordered him strapped down and at the mercy of the Yamanaka's probing jutsu.

Perhaps it was just a scare tactic, though a more cynical part of him wondered if perhaps Danzo suspected the Yamanaka clan as well, for they had always been quite loyal to Hiruzen. He wondered if Danzo thought a Yamanaka might lie to him, which was a possibility given the clan's fierce loyalty to the old regime and reluctance to pledge their allegiance to this new military campaign.

Perhaps Danzo was already taking tentative steps down the path towards complete paranoia or madness; it was a slippery slope, after all. Kyohei hoped for all their sakes it was not so, for a paranoid man was a dangerous and unpredictable one, and Danzo was already both of those things.

Things were more perilous now than they ever had been before. They'd have to take every step with the utmost caution, and be constantly on guard. They still didn't know where loyalties had fallen, and the ever-looming threat of war was already knocking on their doors.

He shook his head in an attempt to rid himself of the troublesome thoughts as he traversed the path that led towards his compound, finally glad to .

It was time he took care of something in regards to his mate, he'd put it off for long enough as it was.

And so he set off in search of Kimari, his heart already feeling lighter as reveled in the strange warm feelings that blossomed in his chest when he thought of his mate.

With her face filling his mind's eye, he sped up his steps without realizing it.

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I wiped my brow on my sleeve as I felt the accumulation of sweat on my forehead and temples beginning to drip down the sides of my face. I'd surely streaked freshly plowed earth over my temple, leaving a trail of dirt smeared across my forehead, but I was long past the point of caring. I was already covered in dirt, a little more wouldn't hurt.

Spring had officially begun, though it had not been marked with the typical festivals that we usually celebrated to welcome the thawing of the earth and the beginning of the planting season. Such things had been dubbed as too frivolous an expense for wartime.

I would miss the Spring festivals, they were always so much fun. I loved the lights and the flavorful smells wafting about from the food stands. The games were always a delight to try and test your luck, and the tree viewings were nothing short of ethereal with their pink blossoms and fresh green buds. It was a shame we would miss them.

The war was changing many things already, and I doubted life would go back to normal any time soon. The last war I'd seen had lasted for years. It was likely we wouldn't be celebrating any festivals for some time to come.

But the seasons changed as they always did, and the world continued to spin despite the war that had engulfed it.

The cold air had been replaced with pleasant breezes, occasional rain showers, and a bright sun. It was still cool, even cold during the evenings, but the weather during the daytime was thoroughly enjoyable.

I was glad for the pleasant weather, it made laboring in the communal gardens somewhat easier. The work would likely be even harder when summer came around, with the steaming heat and sticky humidity. But today was lovely, despite the anxious and ominous air that seemed to dominate the village these days.

The non-kunoichi clanswomen and I had spent the majority of the day plowing the Inuzuka training grounds into a proper field. Tomorrow we would plant the seeds for eggplant, field greens, cucumber, and sweet peppers. In another month or two we would plant even more to be harvested in late summer, but for now the summer crops would have to wait. The earth was still a bit too chilled for certain vegetables and herbs.

Tsume had ordered that the majority of the training grounds on Inuzuka land be converted into community gardens, to ensure a food source in case it were to become scarce during rationing. A smart idea, really. She had ordered that the clanswomen look after the crops as well, placing the civilian women of the clan in charge of the agriculture project that would hopefully sustain us during the tougher times that were sure to come.

Between juggling my time at the vet clinic and kennels, looking after Aoi, the new agriculture projects, Kyohei's midnight workout regimen, and my secret training with the resistance, my hands were full. In fact, they were fuller than full.

But there was no shirking of duty to be had – each one of those things was absolutely necessary in my mind.

"Kimari, come take a break!"

I tossed my head to my side upon hearing one of the women call to me, straightening up and dropping the farming tools so I could stretch my back before heading to where they sat. I took my seat quickly, sending an exhausted smile of thanks to one of the women who passed off a cool canteen of water to my dirt covered hands.

The water chilled my throat all the way down, one of the best feelings to be had after a day working in the sun. I reluctantly passed it back after a few greedy gulps and turned my gaze to the fields as the women resumed their conversation.

Their words and complaints about the meat rationing went in one ear and out the other, for my mind was occupied with something I perceived to be far more serious.

Kyohei had not yet returned from his questioning at the Hokage tower. It had been hours now, and he had yet to return. All he'd told me was that he had a meeting with the Hokage, but nothing else beyond that. I knew that he had left out some more worrisome details so I wouldn't fret, but it didn't take much to know that this was serious.

Being called to meet with the Hokage after weeks upon weeks of house arrest? Yeah, there was no way I wouldn't worry given the circumstances. He had tried to pass it off as nothing this morning while I was changing Aoi's diaper, but I knew better.

Time passed quickly as I reflected on what could possibly be happening on Kyohei's end of things.

I was so lost in my own thoughts I barely registered the women getting up to leave and saying their goodbyes until one of them addressed me directly. Blushing, I quickly stood and followed, glad for the opportunity to go home and bathe before going to pick up Aoi from the main house.

My feet dragged as I trudged towards the little cabin by the edge of the forest, and I dreaded the fact that I'd have to go and draw the water from the well when I was already so tired. But I definitely needed a bath, so I'd just have to woman up and do it.

I was getting stronger day by day, a feat I made a mental note of as I cranked the heavy lever to draw the water from the well before heaving the buckets up and onto my shoulders with a grunt. With a huff and delicately balanced water pails, I started towards the cabin.

I was more used to the weight now, and my muscles were lean and strong from both my work and Kyohei's training. A few months ago, it had been Kyohei who fetched all the water from the well because the full pails had been too heavy for me, but now I could handle it. The thought brought a smile to my face as I crossed over the threshold and into the house to dump my buckets into the tub.

After three more trips, I finally had enough water to fill the tub. Deciding to just step right in to the chilly water instead of waiting for the fire I'd lit to heat the tub from underneath, I made quick work of washing the dirt from my skin as the water gradually began to warm.

I couldn't lie, the luxury of hot water on demand just by turning the knob on a faucet was something I missed dearly from my old apartment – or even just piped water in general.

We had a more traditional tub style; a system that involved a special area underneath the house itself where you lit a small contained fire to warm the tub that was directly above it. Most houses built in the traditional style were somewhat elevated above the ground to allow for this, amongst other things. It was time consuming, but as long as I could still take a hot bath I wasn't complaining.

I had to wash my body a few times more to finally rid myself of the dirt that didn't want to give up its hold on my skin, but by the time I was finished my skin felt cleaner than it had in a long while.

It seemed I was always covered in something these days, whether it be from dirt, slobber or other bodily fluids from the dogs at the clinic, or baby puke and fecal matter from one of Aoi's famous exploding diapers. Keeping clean as a foster mother of an infant, a vet-in-training, and field worker was a nearly impossible endeavor.

As I was washing my face, I heard the creaking of the hinges on our heavy wooden front door, a sound that signified Kyohei must be home.

I sighed in relief.

At last, I could put my worrying mind to rest.

Quickly washing the soap from my face, I stood and grabbed a towel, intent on drying off and dressing as quickly as possible so that I could go and ask him just what had happened at the Hokage tower today.

However, my plans changed when my foot slipped on the slick tile of the bathroom floor, and I shrieked as I fell backwards and collided with the ground.

Once again reaching for the towel as I attempted to stand back up, I rubbed a sore spot on my hip that was likely to bruise from the fall.

As I was securing the towel around my body, it happened.

The door to the bathroom slammed open, and Kyohei barreled into the small space, eyes wild until they settled on my form.

I was frozen in complete shock, the towel dangerously close to slipping from my body entirely. He looked just as stunned as I felt, his jaw dropping as he took in my state of being.

It was then, that I realized just how much skin I had exposed for his eyes to see. It was also then, that he seemed to realize what was going on.

His face flushed a deep crimson and he took a step back, casting his eyes to the side.

"I heard you scream and I-"

"Get out."

"I'm sorry, Kimari, I just reacted on instinct and-"

"Get out!"

"I thought you might be hurt-"

"Get _OUT_!"

His mouth dropped, and he faltered for a moment before snapping it shut and rushing back out of the bathroom. The door slammed behind his frantic exit.

.

* * *

.

Chopsticks clanged angrily against the sides of ceramic plates.

It was the only sound that could be heard in our home as we sat in one of the most awkward and prolonged silences I had ever endured. Even Aoi was quiet, now that she had been brought back home and was sleeping soundly in her crib.

I shoved a bite into my mouth that was likely too big, and chewed furiously. At this point, I might have preferred to just choke on a piece of broiled mackerel rather than dying of the embarrassment that was currently killing both of us slowly.

I was absolutely mortified. I'd had a towel on, sure, but that was the most that any man had ever seen of my body in two life times.

The silence continued, as it had for the past few hours. But when Kyohei opened his mouth to break it, I was in between wanting to thank him or wanting to slide under the table in an attempt to escape.

"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't see anything."

I eyed him warily for a moment, though he wasn't returning my gaze.

"Thanks." I finally replied, my sarcasm nearly undetectable. "That makes me feel much better."

"….Really?"

"No."

Silence.

"I really am sorry. I heard you scream and the only thought I had was to make sure you were okay."

"I know."

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

"No."

More silence.

"I've seen plenty of people unclothed before, so don't worry about it, okay? It's no big deal, you don't have anything I haven't seen before in my line of work." He spoke up flippantly, giving a faux casual air to his statement as he attempted to brush it off.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I snapped, an unhappy frown stretching across already aggravated features.

Kyohei backtracked quickly.

"Well don't get me wrong, I think you're beautiful -"

 _He thinks I'm beautiful?_ I felt heat rushing to my cheeks at his words and spoke quickly, determined to save us both from further embarrassment.

"Kyohei." I interrupted in desperation. "Can we _please_ talk about something else? _Anything_ else?"

The frazzled man snapped his mouth shut again, leaning back into his chair and exhaling slowly.

"Yeah, yeah I'll change the subject. That's a good idea. Let's do that." Agreed the Inuzuka quickly. "So, I was taken into questioning by Danzo today, the whole team was questioned."

My chopsticks fell from my fingers in surprise, clattering against the wood of the table top.

"What? Why didn't you tell me?" I demanded immediately, my worries brought back to the surface once more. "Do you think he suspects you? Is something going to happen? Are we safe?"

He leaned forward in his seat, looking grateful for an opportunity to converse on any other subject than our unfortunate encounter earlier today.

"I think we're safe for now." He nodded, his assurance of the fact appeasing me somewhat. "We have an alibi that's probably more solid than a few other teams. The Nara and Aburame clan helped fudge the records and gave a few statements. Turns out Hiruzen destroyed most of the ANBU records before he was attacked too, so Danzo doesn't have much to go off of, and he knows it."

I felt my shoulders sink in relief as I absorbed the information.

"Do you think he suspects anything?"

At this Kyohei smiled, the lopsided grin that I knew so well.

"I think he suspects about a million things, but he doesn't have any evidence. He was looking a bit paranoid."

"That's awfully convenient." Came my murmur as I felt my brows knitting together on my forehead. "So, this really must mean that the Hokage knew about Danzo's plans, you were right."

"If only he'd found out a bit earlier." Kyohei's genuine lament matched the frown on his face. "I can't believe we didn't see this coming."

"You couldn't have known, Kyohei." I reminded him gently, feeling my heart soften for him when I saw the evidence of turmoil in his eyes as he met my gaze. "Everything was going just how we thought it would, there was no way to know what was happening in the shadows."

Kyohei let out a long breath, his shoulders sinking as he exhaled.

"I know, but that's the problem, isn't it?" He reflected quietly, setting his elbows and forearms on the table and leaning forward, food forgotten for the time being. "We got arrogant, we got too comfortable, and that was a mistake. We have to be careful, especially now that it's all changing, and especially with Danzo."

His words rang true, and I felt a sense of stark guilt and fear mixing together in my chest.

He was correct, we'd gotten too comfortable. We'd made plans only for a future we anticipated from what we remembered, holding the presumptuous belief that the future would cooperate with those plans. And now we had been humbled, reminded that even though we had some sort of foresight, that we were not above fate itself.

And now we would pay the price for assuming we had an advantage. Our plans were moot, and we had never considered the possibility of the situation we now found ourselves in.

But then again, who could have? We had discussed the possibility of something like this happening, but nothing to this magnitude. Neither I nor Kyohei could have perceived how drastically things were going to change in an instant. There was no way we could have been prepared for a coup d'état and an assassination.

We had been so focused on Orochimaru and how to keep him off our trail that we had failed to see the other threat right under our noses, assuming that Danzo would not become a problem we'd have to deal with until later. And that was our mistake.

But his words about Danzo were what scared me the most.

"You said Danzo is acting paranoid?" I asked cautiously, not liking the grave look in his eyes as he responded.

"He's showing signs of it. I think he's not quite sure who is on his side or not, he's surrounded himself with the people that are loyal to him and banned all former ANBU from leaving the village. I was reassigned to the Military Police instead of the frontlines, where I should have been placed in any other situation."

"'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'." I quoted grimly. "I guess it makes sense, so he can monitor all of you and make sure you aren't plotting anything."

Kyohei nodded in agreement, before his eyes sharpened, his gaze becoming even more serious.

"Look, Kimari," He began, reaching out and resting his hand atop of mine. The warmth of his hand felt comforting, despite the topics being discussed. "I won't lie to you, this is serious. He's dangerous, and this is the first time in this life I've worried about our future here. I want to ask your permission to do something for your safety."

I gave a slow nod, urging him to speak when I couldn't seem to find my own voice amid the intensity of his gaze.

"Our bond, that mental link between us I established, it's still incomplete." He explained, continuing when he saw my confused look at his words. "Normally, it gets stronger over the first few months, but it takes longer with civilians since they aren't as sensitive to their own chakra pathways. It's better to let it facilitate naturally, and we've made progress already, but –"

"We have?" I interrupted in surprise. "I haven't noticed anything, have you?"

"You accessed the bond once, during the invasion. I don't think you realized what you were doing, but you essentially sent me your location and a wave of your emotion. That's how I was able to find you in time."

My eyes widened as he revealed that information, completely shocked at what he was saying.

But how had I done that? I hadn't meant to.

"I – are you sure I – really?" I stuttered out before regaining my senses. "And that was the only time?"

"Yeah, as far as I know. But that's a good thing, it means your connection with the bond is getting stronger. If we let it progress naturally, it might take a year or so, but you'd be able to send me thoughts as well, like how Aki and I communicate."

My mouth dropped in disbelief.

"That sounds like something out of a sci-fi novel." I breathed in wonder, looking to him in astonishment. I checked myself then, realizing I hadn't let him finish what he saying. "What was it that you wanted to say? I interrupted you, I'm sorry."

He shook his head at my apology, waving it off and continuing.

"Our bond is incomplete, and if you're comfortable with this option, I can use the clan's jutsu to establish it another way instead of waiting for it to form naturally. I think it would be the safest option, especially with all that's going on." He paused then, looking somewhat guarded and gathering himself before he continued. "But it's very…intimate. I'll only do it if I have your consent."

I frowned at the word 'intimate', not sure at what he was getting at.

"Could you explain more about the process? I'm not sure I understand what happens when you form it or afterwards." I asked, leaning forward in anticipation when he fulfilled my request and began to speak.

"I'll be using my chakra to connect parts of our yin chakra, which is essentially the spiritual side of it. It can't be undone once I seal those parts of our chakras within ourselves, we'd be bound for life. Part of my life essence would live within you and vice-versa." He stated, no joke to be found in his tone. "It's not like the regular bond that would have developed over time, it's a step up. Not every mate pair chooses to do this."

"Why not?" I breathed, unable to ask much else. "Where does the, uh, _intimate_ part come in?"

"We'd be connecting our spirits together. Once I established the bond, we'd see a fair bit of each other's memories and emotions at the moment it's sealed. But don't worry, after the chakra is sealed and the jutsu is complete, I'd only be able to see something from your past or feel your emotions if you shared them with me. You'd probably feel sick afterwards as well, the jutsu is powerful." He admitted, eyes not straying from mine. "But, the plus side is that once its complete we would be able to communicate without speaking aloud, and we would be able to find each other quickly if we needed to."

I faltered then. That was intimate, he was correct.

To share such private emotions and memories with somebody, to let them see such a vulnerable area of your heart, that took a lot of trust.

There were things I didn't want him to see, things that I wasn't even sure I wanted to see again. I hadn't lived an easy life.

I wasn't sure I wanted to share the precious memories I had of my family, I wanted to continue to hold them close to my heart, jealously guarding them from the world. I wasn't sure I wanted to relive the months I'd spent withering away from cancer until my soul was finally pulled from my frail body, and I wasn't sure I wanted Kyohei to see me like that.

I didn't want him to see Lamees, when he'd only ever known Kimari. Those were things I didn't want to share.

But I was certain there were likely areas of Kyohei's previous life that he wouldn't be happy with me seeing either. Feelings, emotions, memories, his own death – all from Ivan when I'd only ever known Kyohei.

I fidgeted in my seat, pulling my hand from his.

"Is it absolutely necessary?" I asked quietly, looking away from him as I considered the option.

He retracted his hand as well, though I could still feel his gaze burning into my form.

"I think it would give us an advantage and put us at ease, but no, I don't think it's absolutely necessary and I won't say anything more. This needs to be your decision, and I don't want to influence that. You can take some time to think about it if you want."

 _Do I really need to think about it?_

I had a feeling I already had the answer to that question.

We were tangled in a web of treachery, I was training to become a member of the Resistance, Kyohei was trying to dig deeper into a political sphere of lies and secrets where one wrong move could end his life, and we were still friends with a Jinchuuriki.

Kyohei and I had started out with a dream that we'd be able to make a life for ourselves, to manipulate our surroundings to our favor with the foreknowledge we possessed. But now, with that dream shattered and the playing ground leveled after the direction of fate had shifted out of the realm of what we knew, we could no longer rely on the hope that things would stay the same as what we remembered. We needed to be prepared and ready to do whatever it took if we wanted to survive.

We needed to be a team that was stronger than all the forces that stacked against us, and this could help us in that aspect. It would be uncomfortable at first, but Kyohei was right, it was likely for the best.

"No." I sighed, looking up and meeting his gaze again with a flare of determination. "I think you're right. We need to be as strong as possible. Let's do it, now."

"You're sure you don't want to take time to think on it? It can't be undone, there'd be no going back." He spoke a dire warning once more, checking to make sure I was aware of the gravity of this decision.

I was aware of it. There'd be no going back, but I was in too far to turn back anyways. And besides, I trusted Kyohei with my life. I could trust him with this.

We had both come a long way from home, and we were in this together. We had to be if we wanted to survive.

"I trust you."

Kyohei held my gaze a long moment, as if searching my eyes for any sign of apprehension. When he found none, he stood and grabbed his chair to bring it next to mine.

I turned to face him in my own chair, our knees touching ever so slightly at the proximity.

He leaned forward, bringing his hands together and muttering lowly to himself as he went through a complex series of hands signs that I couldn't keep up with. I watched him intently, unflinching as he brought his fingers up to rest on both of my temples.

I could feel the gentle pulsing of energy at his fingertips, the chakra he had called to the surface ready to enter my body at his command.

Our eyes met, mine firm in resolve and his unreadable.

"Last chance to turn back."

I took a deep breath, attempting to prepare for the unknown.

"Do it."

And then, reality slipped from the tips of my fingers.

I lost my grip on the world around me as it melted away from my vision. I was no longer Kimari, not even Lamees, I was a faceless entity, one with no history, no past, no direction.

Scenes I did not recognize flashed about, too quickly to really analyze what I was seeing, but slow enough for me to realize that they were not my own.

None of it was my own.

I could feel the frigid breath of winter upon my skin as snowflakes fell to rest upon my eyelashes, a cold like I had never felt before. I saw a city that was not my own, a large and grand city with busy people going about their busy lives. I felt a mother's love from a woman with dark hair, grey eyes, and a smile that felt like Spring. I felt the blows and hits from a father that was even colder than the winter's wind.

I watched a drunk man hit his wife, feeling tears sliding down chubby cheeks of a young boy. I felt the happiness that same boy felt on the day his father died, knowing that he and his mother would no longer be tormented.

I saw flashes of classrooms, boys roughhousing for fun after school until they bled. I saw a young man saying good bye to his mother, her dark hair now streaked with grey as he boarded a bus of other strong and bright-faced young men and women wearing matching uniforms.

I felt the bonds of trust and friendship between the boy and his team, I saw them survive despite all odds, through thick and thin and shelling and bullets.

I saw them survive until the day they didn't.

And then I saw a different boy, the same boy in a different shell, among a clan of shinobi. I saw his ninja training, felt the cold slicing of steel against his skin as he fought. I saw the blood of his enemies on his skin and felt the adrenaline of the hunt, the pride of a victory.

And then, I say myself – through his eyes. The doubt, the joy, the warmth that grew over time until…

I was suddenly jolted back to reality, my wits returning to me. I was Kimari once more. My head spun as I processed all the memories and emotions that I'd been barreling through until the jutsu was completed.

My eyes were closed as I felt myself within my own mind, along with a new presence there, a foreign one.

I could feel Kyohei within myself, his presence strengthening and his consciousness intertwining with my thoughts. He was there.

The bond, the connection was there. It was deceptively tenuous at first, like the delicate silk of a spider's web in the breeze, but it was growing stronger, binding us together. He was there, in my mind, in a way that was warm, but not intrusive. I was not experiencing his thoughts and memories as I had before, but simply aware of his presence.

Our chakra intertwined and pulsed together, like the strong beating of a pounding heart working to supply the body with blood. I felt residual energy swirling through my veins, an energy that was not my own – likely the spiritual chakra.

I could also feel myself with him, in him, in the same way that I could feel him present within me. There was no real description I could give, no words in any language I knew that could accurately describe what I felt. It was all at once perfectly comfortable and exotically strange while also bringing about a familiar sense, almost like nostalgia.

It was too much to process all at once, and a strange sense of vertigo took over as my mind continued to spin.

I opened my eyes, hazy vision slowly sharpening until I was able to make out his face, looking to me expectantly. His worried eyes searched my face, and I saw his mouth moving but his words sounded slow and slurred to my ears.

The world continued to spin as I tried to process the strange new bond and feel for his presence inside of my spirit. He said something else, but I didn't catch it.

And then I leaned over and retched, emptying the contents of my dinner onto his feet.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N - I need everyone who reviewed last chapter to know that I so appreciate it and love you all, especially to new reviewers Zoey24 and BONED (as well as those of you who have been here since the beginning). I've been in a writing rut and kinda down in the dumps recently and all your lovely comments really gave me the energy I needed to plot ten more chapters and finish this one. Thank you guys so much.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Kimari's brows were furrowed, here face scrunched in the way that a child's might if they were sucking on the tart rind of a lemon. Her brown eyes were tightly shut, and she breathed so slowly that one might think she was in a deep meditation of sorts. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple, but she was not to be bothered with it.

The two sat on the floor across from each other, their legs crossed as they practiced.

Kyohei had to hand it to her, she was giving it her all. It was too bad, however, that 'her all' just wasn't cutting it quite yet.

"Why don't we take a break?" The jonin suggested, though it was not the first time he had voiced that suggestion aloud to her.

"No…" she trailed off, face twisting even further in her concentration. "I think I've almost got it. You haven't felt or heard anything yet?"

Kyohei couldn't help the small smile that played on his lips. She was trying so hard, but unfortunately, she'd had little success.

They'd been working on it every morning for the last few weeks, since the day he linked their minds through the bond. She was anxious to obtain mastery over it, even though he'd already informed her it could take up to a year or two before that happened. The fact that she was a civilian with little to no chakra sensitivity would likely mean it would take time before she could access the link on her own, without his help.

The way the bond worked was a bit tricky. They could share things with each other, but could not tap into each other's thoughts or emotions at will. That being said, the closer the couple got physically and emotionally, the more was shared. The bond had originally been used between their wolf ancestors, so mates could be an unstoppable force, one in mind and one in spirit – but for their human descendants it worked somewhat differently.

And what was more, this type of bond differed between mates. It all depended on mutual trust, care, and self-sacrifice. If a mated pair did not have those things with each other, the bond would be a weak one. If they did, it would be a strong one.

As of now, he could access the link from his side to share thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations with her, but she could not do it herself unless he used his own chakra to open her side of things to him. She would get a handle on it soon enough, though, of that he was sure.

She was already progressing a fair bit with their exercise routines and self-defense training, faster than he'd anticipated. He was learning not to underestimate her when she set her mind to something. And she had set her mind to mastering this, so he knew it wouldn't be long.

"Nothing yet." He confirmed what it seemed she already knew, and her face fell at his words. "But you'll get the hang of it soon enough. Let's take a break, neh? We've both got to get ready for the day and I'm pretty sure Aoi just pooped again."

"Again?" She opened her eyes, frowning at the information he was relaying to her. "That's the third time this morning."

"It is." He agreed, his nose wrinkling as he caught another whiff of a soiled catch-cloth. There were times that his enhanced senses came in handy. This time was not one of those times.

"Poor girl." Lamented Kimari as she moved to stand, wiping her brow and exhaling as she stood. Kyohei followed suit. "She's having a really hard time switching to solid foods, huh? It's your turn, by the way. I changed the last two."

Kyohei groaned, but did not argue. She was right, after all. It was his turn.

He took the clothespin he'd stolen from Kimari's laundry drying lines out from his pocket and secured it firmly over his nostrils as he made his way towards Aoi's crib. In the kitchen he could hear Kimari beginning her work on their breakfast.

He sighed as he went about the cleanup process, which was never pretty. They'd recently begun transitioning Aoi from formula to things like mashed carrots or sweet potato paste, and her body was still acclimating to a diet of solids. Well, mostly solid anyways.

Did mush count as a solid? He wasn't sure.

Inuzuka kids were weaned a lot earlier than most, likely due to their canine tendencies. Wolves and their canine brothers didn't nurse as long as humans, and most Inuzuka children spent six months or less with their mother's milk. Aoi was coming up on six months now, and she was no different than other children of the clan.

It would be easier for them in the long run, the formula was a pain and failed to provide their young ward with the necessary nutrients. Formula could never really be a proper substitute for a mother's milk, or so Kimari was always saying.

But in the mean time? Lots and lots of stinky diapers.

It was funny when he thought about it – if somebody had told him a year ago he'd be married, changing explosive diapers, taking orders from a petite little civilian girl, been demoted and plotting to undermine the government, he would have laughed in their face and asked them if they had any loose screws in their head. But this was his reality now, and he found he welcomed the change. Well, except the 'being demoted and plotting treason' part.

"Alright, you little gremlin, all clean." He announced as he fastened a safety pin on her fresh catch-cloth once more.

Aoi only gurgled sweetly at him, kicking her legs happily. Kyohei took a moment to take in the infant, studying her rapidly developing features. Why had nobody told him they grew so quickly?

He could see elements of her parents starting to show on her face and body, bits and pieces she had inherited from both of them now that she was growing and looked more like a proper child than a pudgy little alien potato.

She had Hoaya's elfish features and whispy brown hair, but the deep and dark eyes and tanner skin had certainly come from Takeo. He hadn't been close to Hoaya really, but looking at her and seeing her father and his old friend, the sweet and gentle blunder of a man named Takeo, it left him with a deep and profound sense of melancholy.

 _The good ones always die young, don't they?_

He heard a soft whine of agreement come from his side, where his ninken partner stood dutifully as he watched over the infant girl. There were sometimes he thought Aki might love Aoi more than anything else.

"Okay," He mumbled at her, playing with a little tuft of her hair before hoisting her up and out of her crib. "Maybe you're not a gremlin after all."

Whether he liked it or not, the little booger was growing on him.

Breakfast was a quick affair, simple and somewhat bland now that they were rationing food and the crops they'd planted in the compound weren't ready to be harvested any time soon. Things like spices and soy sauce had become an expensive luxury that they'd decided they couldn't fit into their new budget after his demotion.

Sure, he still had a hefty account of savings, but those he had tucked away for a real emergency. Unfortunately for their meals, soy sauce and other seasonings did not fit the bill of an 'emergency'.

Kimari did her best, though. She somehow managed to make a simple bowl of rice congee something of a delicacy. She seemed to know all the methods to make simple things taste wonderful, and how to stretch their rations to last longer. He was sure she had probably lived through times before where she'd learned the tricks of the trade.

"I'm meeting with Yamanaka-san today." She announced between quick bites of rice porridge and bouncing a wiggling baby on her lap. "We're finally doing more than flower arranging, I get to walk with her while she delivers a message to her contact."

Kyohei did his best not to let his apprehension show on his face. He was still getting used to the idea of her working with the Resistance, and the more canine side of him, the one that said 'protect your mate', stirred under his calm exterior. The rational side overpowered the instinctual however, and he reminded himself that he needed to trust her in the way that she trusted him. She could do it, he had to believe that – and she deserved to be able to make her own way and find her own place in this world.

"Do you feel prepared?" He asked instead, attempting to clear away his mind of the conflicting opinions.

"I think so. It can't be that hard." She replied loftily, giving him the impression that she were some sort of master spy instead of a trainee.

"Careful now, you're beginning to sound cocky like me." He teased, flashing a cheeky grin in her directions as he shoveled more of the congee into his mouth.

"I won't fall to your level of hubris, trust me." She laughed, teasing him right back.

"Hubris? Like the stuff you dip vegetables in?"

Kimari blinked slowly at him, a moment of confusion showing on her features before she realized what he meant and rolled her eyes.

"That's _hummus_ , you big dummy."

"Eh, close enough."

The conversation continued, flowing softly as the river in the woods behind their house, peaceful and light. If he closed his eyes, he could almost forget that the two of them carried the weight of two worlds on their shoulders.

Perhaps he could skip work, stay home where it was warm and happy and they could just stay like this all day, forgetting there was a war going on and forgetting all the troubles that plagued them.

Yeah, right.

 _It was a nice thought, but it's time to face reality. If I don't hurry, I'll be late._

And so, he left what little peace and comfort he had obtained in this life, bidding Kimari and Aoi a quick farewell and disappearing in shunshin that he knew Kimari hated.

If his boss was surprised that Kyohei had chosen to deposit himself inside his office instead of walking through the front door of the Military Police headquarters like most other officers, it did not show on his features. In fact, the older man didn't so much as blink.

Once an ANBU, always an ANBU – or so he was told. Even in his elder age, his old ANBU captain, who was now his boss, still had some of the best senses and intuition that Kyohei had ever seen.

"You're late, ya pathetic little crap-maggot." Fuma Shirou grumbled without looking up from a mountain of paperwork and a cup of tea that had long since gone cold. "And use the damn door like all the other officers next time. Just because I like ya don't mean ya get special treatment, brat."

Kyohei snorted at the words of his boss, and glanced at the clock with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm thirty seconds late, cut me some slack, will you?"

"I'll cut you in half instead of some slack, how does that sound?"

"I'd like to see you try, old man."

That comment caused the long-retired captain to glance up at the Inuzuka with an almost indiscernible twinkle in his eyes.

"Still the same as ever, ya cocky little bastard. I'd hoped that leading a team of your own would have made ya a bit more respectful, but I guess it was too much to ask for."

Kyohei chuckled as he took a seat on the opposite side of the desk.

"I've got a reputation to uphold, what can I say?" He replied breezily, though the faintest of smirks on his lips revealed the jest.

Fuma Shirou only sighed for the sake of dramatics.

"Don't know why I bothered to have you transferred under my command. That ol' Shimura didn't like the idea at first. Maybe I should have just left ya at his mercy. Ya ought'ta be grateful to me, boy."

Kyohei's smile faltered, his features returning to a more neutral expression at the mention of Danzo and the threat the man posed.

"I haven't thanked you yet for that." He voiced, this time without his normal cheeky demeanor. "You've saved my hide more times than I can count."

"Bah." Grouched the older of the two, huffing as he took a sip of his cold tea and grimaced at the temperature before setting it down. "Don't get used to it."

Kyohei grinned and nodded, leaning back lazily in the office chair.

He really did owe the man quite a bit, he couldn't deny it. When Kyohei was a talented and reckless new ANBU recruit, it had been Shirou who had helped him hone his talents. The man had guarded his back many times on ANBU missions, until the day came that Kyohei was talented enough that Shirou didn't need to concern himself with Kyohei's whereabouts and status on the field.

Fuma-Heichou was also the one who had allowed Kyohei to _interrogate_ the men who had attempted to assault Kimari almost a year ago. He was also the man who had intervened when Kyohei wanted to rip their arms off their bodies so they'd never touch another man or woman like that again. He'd talked him down, convinced him to let the law handle them...after letting Kyohei break a few fingers first, of course.

All in all, Kyohei was grateful that Shirou and he had the level of trust and respect for each other that they held. He needed all the allies he could get these days. He figured Shirou must have put up a convincing argument to Danzo to allow the new hokage to let him be transferred here.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Queried the restless Inuzuka, who was silently praying that the answer would be anything but paperwork. "Got any homicides or investigations that need solving? What about interrogations? Underground crime rings to infiltrate?"

"Oh, I've got something good for ya alright." Shirou laughed vindictively, which did not bode well for Kyohei.

"Yeah?" Kyohei replied suspiciously, suddenly on guard from the tone his boss had used.

"Paperwork, your favorite."

The Inuzuka sighed, slumping down in his chair until his rear end threatened to fall off of the seat.

"You'll go to the records division upstairs and compile a list of all living citizens of Konoha who either emigrated from Suna or had any relatives within two generations who did. The Hokage's office requested the information, so that's priority."

Kyohei's body tensed, his stomach coiling uneasily as he slowly sat up straight and lowered his voice to speak again.

"Why do they need that information?" He asked, and immediately snapped his mouth shut when his former ANBU captain brought up his left hand to begin signing.

Kyohei's unease doubled when he met the now startlingly serious gaze of his boss as the man used ANBU field sign-language to send him a short and coded message.

' _Headquarters is bugged. Don't cause suspicion. Don't ask questions.'_

Kyohei steeled his reactions, only giving a quick bob of his head to signify he understood.

He had suspected, but now he knew for sure. Danzo had eyes everywhere, and where he didn't have eyes, he had ears.

But this was something he was well accustomed to – not from this life, but from the last. Ivan had grown up in the days before the fall of the Soviet Union, so he knew how the game was played. Censorship, mass-monitoring, intimidation and paranoia – he knew what it looked like. And he was ready and capable of playing the long game to his advantage.

Shirou continued as if nothing had happened, speaking in the same irritable tone of a jaded old man he often pretended to be.

"Does it matter why they want it?" He asked nonchalantly, though his eyes told another story. "If the Hokage asks us to hand copy every file in the records office while wearing a fuzzy bathrobe and doing a handstand, we do it without asking why. Now get out of my office, brat."

Shirou gave him a pointed look, one that seemed to say 'not now' to any tomfoolery he suspected his subordinate might respond with.

"Yes sir, right away. I'll have it to you by noon." Kyohei assured, sharing a meaningful look with his superior before excusing himself to begin his task.

The records office was a dusty old room that smelled of mildew and had no windows to allow for better ventilation. But Kyohei was too preoccupied within his mind to give a thought to the stuffy air as he wrote down name after name.

 _This worries me. Why does Danzo want these names? What's he planning to do?_

He ran through countless scenarios in his mind, but could not settle on one that made the most sense. As of now, there was not enough information to draw an accurate assumption. All he knew was that it didn't sit well with him. Paranoia was one of the most dangerous afflictions, and it often drove men to do the unthinkable.

His gut twisted even further when he came across a name he knew well.

Ueda, Machiko. Kimari's life-long friend. He remembered that her grandmother had come from Suna, so it was no surprise that her family would be added as well.

He copied her name to the growing list with much reluctance and an ever-growing feeling that something was definitely not right.

.

* * *

.

I sucked in a small breath when the thorn pricked my finger, drawing a small pinprick of red blood to the surface of my skin.

I transferred the pink rose to my other hand, wiped my finger on the handkerchief I kept in my pocket, and continued.

Yamanaka Himeko was patient and ever-watchful as I slowly and carefully filtered through the flowers on the table and arranged them just-so in the vase she had provided me to work with. The back room of her house where we had last taken tea was now a small-scale flower workshop as she tested me on my knowledge of Hanakotoba, the secret language of flowers, and Ikebana, the art of flower arranging.

I'd thought we'd moved past this phase of the training, but she had apparently decided on one last pop quiz before we left today. It was likely she was also testing my patience and willingness to follow her instructions, because she knew I was tired of flower arranging. But I smiled and performed the tasks without complaint.

The pink rose went to the left. Two delicate yellow poppies in the middle. Purple Iris flowers shot up above the arrangement in the back, sprawling upwards as if climbing to the heavens.

 _Pink rose means trust or confidence, the yellow poppies signify success, cool colored iris flowers mean good news. And by placing the iris flowers above, they know that the message begins there. The fact that I chose purple for the color of the iris means the mission had no casualties or compromise. The rose tilting to the left is a sign that I don't require any additional help._

 _There, I think I'm done._

I stepped back without a word, silently waiting as Himeko appraised my work.

"'Good news, you can rest in confidence that the mission was a success. There were no deaths and my cover remains in-tact. I have no need of direct contact or assistance.'" Himeko stated after a few moments of observing how I'd arranged the flowers. "Very good, you learn fast."

"Thank you-"

"But from a florists' perspective, I must say this looks downright tacky." She criticized with a small sigh, eyeing the arrangement in distaste. "You need to work on making your arrangements look more elegant, but not by too much. The point is to not draw attention to the arrangement you're using as communication, to have it be as unpresumptuous as possible."

She stood then, and I took another step back as she took over the flowers and made a few subtle adjustments.

"The arrangement should be lovely enough to look like it belongs in a flower shop, or makes one think you bought it from one, but not too lovely as to draw too much attention to its beauty. There is a fine line where one could draw suspicion or attention if the flowers are too pretty or lack loveliness altogether. Mediocracy is your goal."

"I understand." I replied, making mental notes as she spoke.

It was all like this. Every single bit of the work they did in the Resistance had to be just right, a perfect balance of what looked to be complicit normalcy on the outside – a fine balancing act between too much and too little, of drawing attention and going unnoticed, of speaking little but saying much. If the scales you balanced upon tipped too far in one direction, you could never be sure it had gone unnoticed, especially in a world of shinobi.

She had even advised me against acting _too_ normal, which was something that could cause suspicion in and of itself. It seemed like anything could bring on suspicion, and there was much to be aware of.

And there was always the constant threat of your cover being exposed. She had told me that if I suspected it might be, then it probably already was. I would need to keep my eyes and ears open at all times if I was to succeed.

Himeko stood, brushing off imaginary dust from her skirt and standing tall. I straightened my own back subconsciously when she displayed such perfect posture.

"Are you ready? Once we leave this house we can't come back."

"I'm ready."

She gave a small but steady nod as she brushed past me, her long skirts sweeping over the floorboards as she exited the room. I followed closely behind, stepping in stride with her as we began our walk down the street.

She chatted amiably with me as we walked, loud enough so that somebody would overhear if they passed, but quiet enough so as not to draw attention. The subject matter was that of the Allied Mothers Force that she was a board member of.

That was what we used as cover, so nobody would question why we met frequently.

To the outsider looking in, it would seem that Himeko had invited me to join the committee of mothers after learning that I was fostering a child, which made me a defacto mother. It also made sense in the eyes of any clan politics. Himeko was married to the head of the Yamanaka clan, and I was married to the potential heir of the Inuzuka. It would not raise questions then, that we spent time together in an effort to find favor with each other's respective clans.

It was often that clan politics worked like that. Kyohei and I had already spent many evenings in different clan households, accepting invitations to dinners by clan heads and prominent families who sought to gain favor and strengthen ties with a potential clan head.

Tsume was glad for it too, it meant she had to go to less 'stuffy clan dinners with a bunch of pisspots with sticks up their asses'.

Her words, not mine.

And even Hana seemed relieved that the duty of inter-clan relationships had been taken up by Kyohei and I. She was already so busy, and though she was fairly amenable to politics and had a natural knack for diplomacy, she preferred to spend her time in her clinic than at another clan's dinner table wearing formal clothing.

I supposed it made sense. Though Hana and Kiba could inherit the position the same as Kyohei, Hana had no interest in marrying or having children, or at least none that she had expressed yet, and Kiba was too young. Kyohei, however, was married, had a foster-daughter, and had the potential of producing a valid heir to inherit one day. It was likely that other clans saw Kyohei as the most likely to inherit the title of clan head in the future.

So, to anybody else, it would look like Himeko and I were engaging in a friendship that had mutual benefits for both us and our clans.

And underneath all the clan politics? Spies for an underground resistance.

Funny how those things work, isn't it?

I thought back to the first few lessons I'd had with Himeko, when she had relayed to me what exactly my duties and responsibilities would be in a sense of deathly seriousness. She had made it very clear from the beginning that my actions were no longer my own, and that I now answered to a nearly invisible chain of command.

' _There will be a line drawn around you, and all your actions will be within that line. Your mind and body are no longer your own. Any information you come across belongs to the Resistance.'_

It was truly amazing how the Resistance operated. They kept surveillance, tapped phone lines, dropped in on radio transmissions, fed fake news to government officials, and much more.

And now I was a part of that, a small link in a very long chain.

"Ah, we're here." Himeko announced serenely, guiding us towards a dimly lit shop that I knew well. It sold things like incense for temples, soaps, cleaning supplies, and many other household needs. I'd shopped here many times before, and I made sure to keep the shock off my face at the revelation that the old man behind the counter was one that had been friends with my grandfather before he passed.

"Ah, Yamanaka-san, welcome!" His eyes widened when he saw me at her side, and a large and friendly smile that he was well known for spread over his cheeks. "And little Kimari-chan! I thought you'd forgotten all about me. You look well, marriage suits you!"

"Thank you, Takagi-san" I replied, attempting to appear as calm and serene as Himeko was at my side.

"Well, what can I do for these two lovely ladies today, eh?" The kindly elder man asked.

"I'd like to buy some incense to offer at the temple, do you have anything from Grass Country? They tend to have the best _wild jasmine_ grown there."

The shopkeeper's eyes flashed almost indiscernibly when 'jasmine' and 'grass country' was mentioned, and he nodded with that same disarming smile plastered on his face.

"No new shipments, I'm afraid." He lamented, before beckoning her to follow him to the back of the store, where there was a door with a sign that read 'employees only' on it. "But if you'll follow me, I have some peony flower incense that are just lovely."

The second the door closed behind us, the smile dropped from his face and he spoke freely to her in a manner that made me assume that there must have been privacy seals for him to speak so openly.

"Out of all the girls in the village, you had to choose the granddaughter of my old friend as a new recruit?" His voice had turned sour, and he sounded much older without the normal pep in his tone I was so used to hearing. "If you get this one killed I won't forgive you."

Himeko frowned at him, looking down the bridge of her nose in contempt.

"I'll have you know she volunteered willingly. She'll be just fine, she's a sharp one, not like Mio."

Mio?

Suddenly, I became very aware that the history between these two went deeper than what I could possibly know on the surface.

"Hmph." He only grunted at her before turning to me. "That true? You wanted in on this mess?"

"I have to do something if I'm able to." I replied steadily, still pondering upon who Mio is…or _was_ from the sound of it.

"That's what they all say." He sighed. "I suppose you brought her here so I could tell her how the contacts work?"

A nod from Himeko. Another irritated sigh from Takagi Touya, the man who used to play card games in the park with my grandfather.

The older man turned to me, expression deadly serious now and a stark contrast from his normal grinning features.

"We will contact you only when you give us a signal, and not otherwise. Direct contact with any other Resistance members besides whom you've been told to contact? Never. Radio communication? Never – those can be bugged. Never speak openly about operations or missions unless it's an emergency and we're in a safe room like this one."

I nodded, ignoring the pulsing of my heart as he went on.

"General information is passed through flower codes at the Yamanaka shop. Specific information is coded and written on small pieces of paper that you'll sew into the hemline of your clothing at take to Sumi for repairs. She'll pass it on to the higher ups. Has your mentor showed you how to do this?"

I gave another short nod. Himeko had already showed me the coding system and had me memorize it. I'd practiced for hours the week before, writing coded messages on tiny pieces of paper, rolling them up into small miniature scrolls smaller than my pinky toe, and then sewing them inside a hemline anywhere on a piece of clothing.

Needless to say, that was only for big information, emergencies.

"You'll be given your own contact soon, so we don't have too many Resistance members heading to the same one. Most members have their own contact for safety reasons. That way if a member or contact is compromised or tortured for information, the damage to us is minimal. We keep identities of most members concealed for this reason. If you're compromised, we won't intervene. Remember that."

 _Harsh. But safe, I suppose._

It wasn't the best vote of confidence to know that they would willingly abandon me to death and torture to protect their organization, but I understood why it had to be that way, even if it was hard to hear. One pair of loose lips could burn it all to the ground.

He turned then, to a shelf at his side. The man bent down, rummaging through a small space until he found a tiny silver-plated box which he opened with a small key he pulled from the pocket of his trousers. From the box he produced a small coin purse, no bigger than the palm of my hand.

I accepted it when he offered it to me, pulling the string to open the coin purse and peer inside.

Small white tablets, about fifteen if I had to guess. He must have sensed my confusion and trepidation, because he offered a grim explanation to the contents inside.

"In case you need a way out if your identity is blown."

I froze, my hands beginning to tremble. The little tablets were no larger than the size of a pea, but suddenly seemed to weigh much more than they ought to in my shaky grasp.

"Poison?" I breathed, looking between Himeko and the shop keeper as I processed what that meant. I was stunned.

"It's the most we can offer you if you're captured or discovered." Himeko explained, face long as she spoke. "When an agent is discovered they're usually tortured in the most horrific of ways before they finally kill you. This saves you from prolonged suffering before you die and it makes sure the information dies with you by inducing a fast-acting brain death. Shinobi can still get information off a body in the moments after death, but this prevents that from happening."

"How quick?" I managed to get out, still feeling the weight of the poison tablets in my hand.

"Around thirty seconds." The older man answered for her, drawing my attention back to him. "Quick. But you're just a small-time operative, just a courier for information. I doubt you'll need it, but don't let that fact bring your guard down. Never leave home without them."

"Alternatively," Added Himeko "It can be used by you if you need to be rid of somebody. The poison is virtually untraceable, it gives the impression the victim had a brain aneurism. If you're attacked, or if somebody discovers your identity and threatens to expose you, you can use this. It works fairly well when crushed into a powder and slipped into a drink or sprinkled on top of food."

She sounded like she was speaking from experience. I shuddered at the thought of it.

Could I really do that to somebody? To myself if I had to?

It certainly sounded better than being tortured for weeks before death. If you were going to die either way, at least there was a way to escape torture and humiliation. In a strange way, that gave some vague and morbid sense of comfort, despite the fact I was thinking of my own demise.

 _No turning back. This is what you signed up for. Remember why you're doing this. You can't fight Danzo outright like the ninja can, but you can do your part in your own way._

I repeated that last sentiment to myself as I stowed the deadly coin purse inside my own bag.

I couldn't let fear take over me now. I'd been scared my entire life, but now it wasn't just about my own life anymore.

It was about Kyohei and Aoi. It was about Naruto. It was about the Inuzuka and all the other villagers who would be affected by Danzo's tyranny. It was about trying to bring peace and stopping a world-wide war that would kill thousands upon thousands, if not more.

I couldn't perform fancy jutsus, I couldn't fight with shuriken and kunai. But I _could_ do this. I could help from the shadows. I owed it to them, to myself.

Almost every single person I knew and loved was risking their life and fighting in the best way they could, and I could no longer escape the fact that I was a part of it, a stitch in the fabric of this universe and not just an outsider who was content to watch things play out from the distance.

This was my battle too.

"Alright. I'm prepared to use them if I have to, you can trust me." I voiced calmly after stowing away the pills, looking back up with a newfound strength. Himeko gave a small smile at my change in attitude, as if I had just proved something and she was proud of it. "What else do I need to know?"

The two shared a meaningful but promising look between them before the conversation continued.

I nodded along, committing every word they said to memory. I was surprisingly calm and composed, not nervous like the way I had been the first day I entered the Yamanaka shop to meet Himeko. I felt…steady.

We spoke for another thirty minutes or so before Himeko bid me go ahead of her, saying that we were done for the day and she would remain there to discuss other business that was obviously not for my ears to hear.

So, I left, still with that strangely calm sense of duty. It all felt real now, and the gravity of responsibility was sobering.

I walked to the market, mind occupied as I bought a few scarce ingredients for that night's dinner. The market was quieter, with less people than usual filtering between stalls. I suppose it was because of the higher prices, but it still felt eerie to see only half the stalls open and fewer customers than usual.

"KIMARI-NEE!"

I stopped in my tracks at the familiar voice, spinning immediately to barely catch a glimpse of the green flak jacket and blonde hair before the owner of the voice barreled into me with a huge hug.

"Careful, Naruto-kun!" I laughed, grateful from a distraction from my morbid thoughts as I hugged the boy tightly back.

"Hehe, sorry, Nee-chan! I just haven't seen you in so long." He offered a sheepish excuse before stepping back with a large grin. It was then that I noticed the rest of his team behind him.

I nearly frowned at the sight of them, but managed to keep my smile up on my face. Their own clothing had been exchanged for chuunin uniforms, complete with flak jackets that looked too large on their young bodies.

I knew they had been promoted, but I had yet to see them in their new uniform.

Child soldiers. You never really got used to the sight. It made me want to scream.

"Don't you look all grown up?" I said instead, ruffling his hair to his disdain.

"Hey, cut it out, I'm thirteen now! And I'd be fighting too if it wasn't for that stupid imposter hoka-"

"Naruto, remember what we talked about the other day?" Cut in Hatake Kakashi as the rest of his team finally caught up and joined where we stood. The jonin's eyes were sharp and though his words sounded carefree, they seemed to cut straight through the air.

Naruto straightened then, taking a more serious and mature look. When he answered it was in a quieter voice.

"Sorry, Kakashi-sensei. I remember." He replied, the joviality absent from his tone. He turned to me then, a more subdued smile on his face. "We were on our way to the training grounds, would you like to come watch us train, Nee-chan?"

Thought his tone was more serious after whatever Kakashi had reminded him of, his eyes still looked hopeful.

"I – yes, yes of course." I replied, still baffled by the sudden change in behavior. He was purposefully subduing his more carefree and happy side, that much was easy to tell. But why? "As long as there's no objections?"

Sakura made a polite reply and Sasuke only shrugged his shoulders without meeting my eyes, so I took that as a yes.

We chatted about this and that as we walked toward the training grounds, with Kakashi diverting the conversation any time the war or the new hokage was brought up. It seemed as though it was a sensitive subject for the group, and even though they bickered as they always did, the air between them seemed tense and ripe with things unsaid.

I watched as they ran through different katas and techniques, Kakashi doing well to challenge each of them and push them to their limits. Fireballs, drills, substitutions, clones, they did it all. Even though I was unexperienced, it was clear that their training regime had definitely been stepped up, and probably for good reason.

After an hour or so of watching, their sensei gave the order for them to take turns sparing against each other and came to stand at my side to watch as well. He slouched, shoving his hands in his pockets in a deceptively casual posture.

It was amazing how normal and casual the shinobi of this village could seem, until they weren't. A split second and someone like Hatake Kakashi could easily take down anybody in his path.

After a few minutes of silence, I was the first to speak. The way Naruto had subdued himself was on my mind, bothering me for some reason.

"They didn't let him keep his jumpsuit?" I asked quietly, eyes not straying from the trio as they continued to spar.

Sakura dispersed one of Naruto's clones as he answered.

"No. Standard uniforms for everyone."

"I'm guessing Naruto-kun wasn't too happy."

"Not really, no." replied the man lazily, as if he couldn't be less interested in what I had to say.

"At the market…I don't mean to pry, but I couldn't help but notice a change in him." It was all I said, but the unspoken question resonated between us.

Kakashi sighed, giving a short explanation that didn't explain much at all. Luckily for me, I caught the hidden meaning.

"Naruto was… _upset_ at the outcome of the invasion. I've warned him to be careful." He paused, glancing at something out of the corner of his eye, as though he could see something the rest of us couldn't.

 _Maybe he can._

"My, my, the trees seem to be budding already. In fact, I think I've been seeing buds just about everywhere we go. It's too bad the animals haven't come out from their hibernation yet. Who knows when they'll be back." He commented lightly, and I understood what he meant immediately.

Trees. A euphemism for ROOT, no doubt. Animals. A subtle indication of how the ANBU were no longer around, not the ones guarding Naruto anymore and laying low.

From what I gathered, Kakashi had likely had a very serious conversation with Naruto about how dangerous it was to speak too freely while Danzo was in power, and how crass or uncaring comments might be taken as disloyalty or even treason. It also seemed that they were under surveillance by ROOT operatives who were loyal to Danzo alone over the village itself, and who would no doubt not overlook any comments made by team seven.

"Ah, that's true." I replied cryptically. "I'm sure the animals will be back soon, though. It's only a matter of time until spring is in full swing, isn't it?"

"Indeed." He replied, eyeing me for a moment before turning his gaze back to his now chuunin team and continuing. "I'm sure your husband has probably noticed some buds around your house. If I remember correctly, many of the clans have a wide variety of trees as well."

 _Noted._

 _Translation: All clans are under surveillance as well, including yours._

I was certain that if Kakashi knew and had sensed the ROOT operatives that followed him and his team, then no doubt Kyohei had noticed them as well. But what I hadn't been aware of was just how closely monitored our houses were.

Now that I thought about it, Kyohei had recently taken to closing the curtains while we were at home, claiming the light hurt his eyes. Now it made sense. We had privacy seals to make sure nobody could hear our conversation, but a skilled shinobi was capable of reading lips.

"I should probably get going, I've got to start on dinner and the curfew starts soon." I said, no longer speaking in riddles with Kakashi. But it was true, the sun was lowering in the sky and I had to pick up Aoi from Tsume before I began dinner. "Thanks for letting me watch them, Hatake-san."

"Anytime." He replied giving a casual wave as I left.

I made sure to give Naruto another long hug and invite him for dinner the next day before I left.

My feet took me quickly through the village as I made my way towards the Inuzuka compound. Other civilians were scurrying about just as quickly as I was, trying to take care of last minute errands before they had to be back at home when the curfew began. It was my guess we only had about ten minutes or so before it became against the rules to be out of our homes or compounds.

I made it home just in time after a quick dash through the streets of Konoha, arriving at the gates of the compound with a large huff.

To my surprise, I found a familiar face waiting for me.

"Hana!" I greeted with a smile, wiping some chilled sweat from my forehead as she approached with a wolfish grin.

"The star of the hour arrives!" She laughed before linking her arm around mine and guiding me towards the main house.

Star?

"Sorry to disappoint, but I'm too boring to be a star." I replied with a very unladylike snort.

She only laughed again, in a fashion that made me suspect knew something I didn't.

"Well, today you are." She informed me as we continued our trek. "Tsume made the decision this morning and the pack agreed unanimously."

The smile dissolved from my face. What in the world was she on about?

"What do you –"

"Hush" She pulled me along a bit faster now. "You'll see when we get there. It starts at sunset."

When we arrived at the porch to the main house, I stopped, pulling my arm from Hana's just as she was getting ready to enter the house.

"What's going on, Hana?" I finally demanded, standing my ground and not taking another step. "Should I be worried?"

"Worried?" She scoffed at me. "Come on already. Trust me."

She motioned towards the door. I sighed, rolling my shoulders back and standing up straighter as I complied and brushed past her into the house.

I looked back towards Hana once inside, who only pointed towards the direction of the living room. I followed her finger and made my way towards the traditional sliding doors that separated me from whatever was on the other side.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped inside.

Multiple pairs of eyes were upon me then, and I let my gaze flit between the many women who sat cross-legged on the floor, until my gaze finally fell upon the one who mattered most: Inuzuka Tsume.

"Inuzuka Mari." She began, her voice booming and harsh.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood, but I did not flinch. I didn't even blink, nor did I respond. I simply held her gaze confidently, something that I had learned from the matriarch herself, until she continued.

"Come forward and sit."

I hesitated a moment, but eventually complied. Hana entered behind me and closed the sliding door, trapping us inside the room filled with young and old women, and not a peep to be heard.

I took their silence as a cue for my own. All the women in the room were completely silent, so I followed their lead and kept my mouth shut as well.

After sitting down in the same style that the rest were, Tsume spoke again.

"You are here today on account of the bravery you have displayed in the face of imminent danger, as well as your acts of putting the well-being of others before your own." Tsume paused, gesturing towards the women who sat and watched. "In this room are the mothers of each child as well as the daughters of the elders you helped to safety during the invasion while they were doing their duties as kunoichi of this village. Each has petitioned the same and the decision is unanimous."

My eyes widened then, as I realized why I had been summoned.

I glanced in shock towards Hana, who only gave an encouraging dip of her head before looking back towards Tsume again.

"It is time." She declared, sticking her hand out to the woman next to her. The elder placed some sort of sharp tool into her hand. "Inuzuka Mari, do you accept their petition? Do you accept the divine right of our ancestor, Okami-sama?"

I eyed the instrument in her hands. This was definitely going to hurt.

But nevertheless, I responded, my voice strong as I relayed my own decision back to Tsume.

"I accept."

Tsume cracked a feral looking grin then, beckoning me forward. Somewhere in the distance and in the depths of the woods, I could have sworn I heard a lone wolf howl.

"Get ready, then. It's time to receive your tattoos."


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: A huuuuuge thanks and round of applause to _hohum_ , who helped me brainstorm and bounce ideas around for some interesting future plot developments. You're the best!**

 **Enjoy, guys!**

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The thick inverted triangles on my cheeks continued to surprise me every time I caught a glimpse of my face in a reflective surface.

I had just completed the last bit of my morning hygienic routine, wiping off my face after having washed it, but was once again blinking in surprise at my reflection in the mirror when I moved the hand towel away from my eyes.

The skin was no longer puffy and inflamed as it had been for a few weeks following the tattooing initiation, which I was thankful for. My skin had always been delicate and sensitive, and had been quite irritated in the immediate week following the night I received my tattoos. But now the flesh under and around my cheeks had returned to normal, and the tattoos were a bold testament of my complete acceptance as an Inuzuka.

The tattoos themselves were a privilege, one that was considered an honor, and I wore them with pride.

I no longer questioned where my place was in this new world, because the markings on my cheeks announced it loud and clear. My place and loyalty was with the Inuzuka clan. My family and pack.

The tattoos were a message to others, but they were also a message and reminder to myself of what I was capable of and who I was. It was a reminder that I too could be brave in my own way, that I could make a difference even without the advantage of being a kunoichi.

I was Inuzuka Mari: a woman of the head family of the Inuzuka clan, a member of the Resistance, a veterinarian in training, and a woman who was becoming braver with each day that passed.

A sharp rap on the door tore me from my thoughts.

"Hurry up, Kimari, I need to get ready!"

"Sorry, Kyohei! I'll be right out!"

I was also Inuzuka Mari: a woman who was hoarding the only bathroom in our small cabin.

Setting the towel back on its hook, I opened the door and slipped out of the restroom with a quick apology, taking a fussy baby from my "husband" and allowing him his own turn in the bathroom.

Aki seemed to know the drill as I walked into the living room and set her down onto a quilt we had spread on the floor for her. She still wasn't crawling yet, though she could roll herself around, so we used the quilt as a designated play area for her.

With Aki licking the bottom of her feet and Aoi successfully distracted from the fact that I had set her down, I got started on breakfast.

Our pantry shelves were nearly as barren as a desert, all but empty.

Food rations had been reduced again, until crops from farms outside Konoha began to yield their harvest. At the moment, the reality of what war meant for those who stayed behind was clear. Malnutrition was beginning to show its ugly face around the village for poorer families who had more mouths to feed. For those who didn't have enough money to get extra from the black market, and those who were not connected to any clans, the situation was only getting worse.

Rations were distributed based on family size and amount of people working in the household, which meant that many children were unenrolled from school so that they could work. More working members in a family meant a better chance at getting more rations. It was a direct repetition of what had happened in the last war when I was young here; I had been taken out of school as well to work at the market, and was never re-enrolled. It was disheartening to think that the same might happen to many other children.

Once a week, every Wednesday, one member from each family stood in long lines with their ration cards and waited in a long line to receive their allotment of rice and other things.

This week we had received a small portion of rice, some dried fish, a few vegetables, and a small jar of fermented soybean paste for a family of three. It made me wonder how other families with many children managed to feed themselves. Perhaps they didn't.

But there were ways to get around food scarcity, as I had learned in my last life and again in this life.

Not many people knew that common weeds, such as dandelions or horsetail weeds, along with other unassuming plants in the forest were edible. If you knew what you were doing and what to look for, you could make many things out of plants you might not have looked twice at before.

Every now and again you might get lucky scavenging the forest and find wild growing herbs for added flavor. Last week I had even scavenged some wild lettuce and mushrooms, and there were plenty of spring onions that grew by the river.

Preserving leftovers was something that I had recently begun doing – just in case things got worse. Whatever leftover rations at the end of the week, if any, were preserved and tucked away in case of emergency.

If you let rice soak overnight, and then cooked it with extra water before serving, you could nearly double the substance. It was somewhat soggy in texture and it stretched the nutrients of the rice thinner, but it helped in filling stomachs when there wasn't enough rice to last the week. Rice could also be made into porridges to stretch the resource as long as possible.

Dried meat or fish could always be rehydrated and eaten that way, but it was smarter to make a large quantity of broth out of it instead. That way you got a vitamin and nutrient rich broth that could be used in other things, as well as the leftover pieces, which could be added to porridge.

There were ways to scrape by when things got bad and resources ran low, and I was just happy that I knew these tricks. We had food. It was often bland and nothing to fawn over, but we had food and that was a blessing in and of itself.

Aoi was giggling with Aki as I began cooking the rice I'd soaked the night before, and soon enough, Kyohei joined the two of them on the quilt now that he was dressed in his MP uniform and ready for work.

We were lucky that he had been given the job, even if he had seen a substantial cut in his pay. If I was being honest, I was just happy he hadn't been sent to the front lines. I suppose we had Danzo's paranoia to thank for that.

Kyohei was going stir crazy trapped in the village, but at least he was under the employment of somebody he felt he could trust. These days it was hard to tell who was a friend and who would double cross you if given the chance. Danzo had ushered in an era of war and hushed lips, and even the villagers were beginning to become paranoid as well.

Danzo's new regime encouraged us villagers to keep an eye on one another, and for those who came forward to report suspected spies or dissidents the reward was substantial. Villagers watched each other like hawks, some even falsifying reports so they could take the reward and feed their family with it.

Neighbors suspected neighbors and friendships were strained because men and women could no longer speak openly. One word against the new regime and you could find yourself being tortured in a T&I cell. People kept to themselves more and more, and walked with their heads down.

The days were certainly dark, darker than I had ever imagined them being.

There were now public executions, something that had never happened before. They had executed a small handful of foreign nationals who resided in nearby villages for work or trade, the reason always the same: unspecified treason. Who knew if any of it was true? But the tactic served it's purpose. They were performed out in the open, in front of crowds who were forced to watch – a way to frighten the public into submission.

So, the public kept quiet. But at night, they whispered to themselves, hushed voices in the dark.

Some supported Danzo, in fact, many did. They allowed themselves to be spoon-fed an ideology where they were the ones who deserved to have power over those from other nations, that they were somehow superior to citizens of foreign nations, that their culture and way of life was more civilized. Danzo spoke of creating a world where men and women of the Land of Fire would never live in fear of war again, a hypothetical utopia with Konoha dictating how things ought to be run.

It was all hogwash at the end of the day, just a way for him to gain more power and land and control. I sometimes wondered if Danzo himself even believed in it, or if he only said what he did because he knew it was a persuasive ideology that would gain him support from uneducated civilians who had been the victims of too many wars and now held prejudices against certain nations and peoples.

There were those who did not agree, of course. I suspected there were quite a few, but the fact remained that with each day that passed, it only became more dangerous to allow those sentiments to be voiced aloud. Saying things like that, openly claiming that what Danzo was doing was wrong or unethical, that was a surefire way to get yourself labelled as a dissident.

And with the few public executions we'd had so far, nobody was willing to take that risk.

Sometimes they left the bodies on display afterwards, letting them decay in the sun as a warning sign or hoisting their corpses from trees to let them hang there to remind the population of what punishment awaited you if you followed in their footsteps.

I had passed by one just the other day. Nobody I recognized, but still awful to see.

I used it as a reminder to myself, a reminder that if I wasn't careful with my work in the Resistance, that it would be my body strung up for others to see.

My mood went somber as I served rice and steamed vegetables onto the kitchen table.

"No meat?" Kyohei asked sadly as I ladled bowls of rice porridge and vegetables. "Not even an egg?"

I snorted before realizing that he wasn't joking.

"Sorry." I placated. "I heard they might have tofu next week though."

We hadn't had much in the way of meat for weeks now, much to Kyohei's dismay.

Kyohei, as if sensing my shift in mood and aiming to lighten it, blabbered nonchalantly about this or that, and cracked more jokes than usual. I smiled half-heartedly at his attempts, unable to find it within myself to feel a sense of joy or happiness in the crushing gloom that hung in the air.

Kyohei left first this morning, taking Aoi with him to drop her with a clanswoman who often watched her for us while we worked. She adored Aoi, and often hinted about wanting to spend even more time with her.

I made quick work of cleaning up the kitchen, not that there was much to clean. I suppose that less food to make also meant less mess to clean up after cooking it, but I couldn't quite make up my mind whether that was a good or bad thing given our circumstance.

I set out after tying my hair up and covering it with a bandana. Today I had a long shift at the clinic with Hana, and then extra work in the kennels afterwards, which always got messy. I still loved it though, and I felt like I was really progressing with my training. Hana was a wonderful teacher, and I was a very eager student.

The day was a lovely one.

The sun was already getting warmer overhead, and the breeze was soft and cool as it brushed against my skin. The skies were clear and bright. It was almost easy to forget that there was a war going on when spring in Konoha was so beautiful.

My revel in the beauty of the day didn't last long, however. As soon as I crested a small hill and the clinic came into view, I could see some sort of commotion at the front doors. Hana was there, as well as three ninja dressed in grey, the uniforms of Danzo's new ANBU force.

With urgency in my step once I realized Hana was yelling at them, I rushed to where she stood.

One of the grey-dressed ninja turned towards me as I approached, eyes startlingly blank and devoid of any sentiment. Probably ROOT, like Kyohei had guessed.

Another grey-uniformed soldier walked out of the front door of the clinic, carrying with him a large box of supplies. Our supplies.

"Put that back! You can't just march in here and take my medical supplies!" Hana was fuming, angrier than I had ever seen her before. "Those are mine, I paid for them! Me!"

The ninja was not amused, and only returned in a deadpan tone that sounded as if he were bored,

"They no longer belong to you." He stated monotonously. "Under order number thirty-eight of the war charter, any supplies of use to the war effort are to be turned over to the central authorities. These medical supplies will be shipped to the front where they will be put to better use."

" _Better_ use? I'm using them here." Growled Hana. "My clinic treats the animals of Konoha, and it's the only one within the entire village that's qualified to treat ninken. You can't take my supplies, I won't let you."

"We are authorized to use force. The supplies will be confiscated whether we have your permission or not. Stand aside, woman."

Seeing that the situation was only escalating, I quickly maneuvered my way next to Hana's side, attempting a different approach.

"Surely there's something we can work out between us?" I asked, forcing a polite and pleasant tone. "As loyal citizens, we understand our duty to support the war effort, but is there any way we could keep some of the supplies to continue our practice here?"

Piercing black eyes settled on mine then, emotionless depths unnerving. I kept my features perfectly pleasant and unsuspecting, grateful for the training that Himeko had given me on keeping my composure.

"That is impossible." He stated, glancing to Hana when she gave another feral growl. "Our orders are not just to confiscate the supplies, but to close down your establishment until the war is over. We also come with new assignments for both of you, so it is therefor illogical to request your clinic remain open."

 _New assignments? Both of us?_

" _What?"_ Hana barely managed to get out, voice dangerously low. "What the hell are you saying?"

The ninja looked curiously at Hana.

"I will repeat myself if you did not hear what I said."

"Listen here you little shit-"

"I think what my sister-in-law is trying to say-" I jumped in frantically, before Hana pounced on the man. "Is that we'd like a bit more clarification of what Lord Hokage's orders are! If we know more about our duties and responsibilities, we'll be able to perform them to his liking."

I wanted to bite my tongue off; the words I was spewing were placating, but made me feel sick.

The ninja seemed to relax somewhat at my words, though still kept a sharp eye on Hana, who was practically radiating killing intent.

"There is a shortage of supplies at the front, therefor the decision was made to strip smaller clinics and veterinarian offices of their materials. Now that this clinic will close, the two of you will be given work or new assignments according to your rank, skills, and knowledge. Lord Danzo's office has made their decision that the civilian and ninja forces should be allocated properly to increase efficiency."

"So." Hana scowled, though it seemed that she had regained control of her temper. "Not only are you robbing me of my personal tools and supplies, but you're shutting down my practice and reassigning Kimari and I to Kami knows where?"

"Yes. That is correct." Responded the former ROOT agent. "Although it is I who knows where, not Kami."

"Why don't you just take my house and the clothes off my back too while you're at it." Spat Hana.

The man only cocked his head slightly, looking somewhat confused again.

"I have no need of your house, nor your clothing, though it is generous of you to offer."

"Do you think this is a damn joke? I ought to rip out your-"

"May we know where our assignments are?" I interrupted, in a last-ditch attempt to keep whatever semblance of peace that was still salvageable.

The man looked to me once more, inky black eyes unreadable.

"You are Inuzuka Mari?" He continued when I answered him with a quick nod. "You have been conscripted into the Civilian Wartime Workers Alliance, as you are an able-bodied woman who can work. Since you have some veterinarian and medical training, you will work as an aid to the healers in the hospital. You are expected to report for your first shift tomorrow morning at sunrise for basic nursing training."

The hospital?

 _They must be pretty short staffed if they need me there, I'm not even a nurse, let alone any sort of healer._

On the outside, I only smiled serenely and nodded, as if the news were somehow pleasing to me. On the inside, I was fuming.

 _How dare they just shut down Hana's livelihood and steal all the equipment and supplies she's worked so hard for? She's been building this up from the ground since she was a child, and now he just sends his soldiers to come and strip it bare? The nerve of him._

Another ninja dressed in grey exited the clinic, this one carrying multiple scrolls in his hands, which I could only presume to be the majority of Hana's supplies, medicines, and equipment.

But this time, she didn't try to stop him. It seemed she had realized she had no choice in this. None of us did.

"And me?" Hana asked, scowling nastily at the man, who remained unfazed. "Where will I go?"

He answered without skipping a beat.

"Inuzuka Hana." He stated. "You are being sent to the front lines. You are to report to your station in one week's time."

They left without a word not long after, carrying with them all their stolen goods. Hana's face was grave as she watched them go.

"Thanks for showing up when you did." She finally murmured, and I turned my attention to her. "I was close to ripping his throat out."

"Hana…" I started, not really sure what to say.

"It's okay. It was inevitable, wasn't it? Most of the other jonin have already left, it was silly to think I'd be an exception." She sighed, looking both forlorn and strangely calm. "Just promise to take care of Kiba while I'm gone."

"Of course, you know we will."

"I almost prefer it, you know." She remarked off-handedly, briefly gesturing towards the direction of where the Hokage tower loomed in the distance. "I think things might be getting worse here pretty soon. At least on the front I won't have to worry about being double-crossed or watching my every word. All I have to do is fight – and I'm good at that."

The wind picked up as we stood in silence. Hana broke it first.

"And you'll fight too, right?" She demanded, not meeting my eye. We both stared at the Hokage tower for another beat of silence. "We can't let the enemy win."

It was clear she wasn't talking about fighting for the sake of Danzo's military campaigns. It was also clear that she knew that I wasn't either.

"I'll give everything I have to the cause." I finally settled on that bland statement.

She nodded, knowing that I was not speaking of our new government. We both knew better than to say anything other than vague pretenses that carried hidden meanings.

"I suspected that might be the case. I noticed Kyohei has been training you at night. You're more confident these days." She stated. "Whatever your… _endeavors_ …are, be careful."

"I will."

"Oh, and Kimari?" She paused, continuing when I secured my gaze on her once more. "If you're ever in need of a friend or ally, you'll find your help by turning over a stone near water."

Turning over a stone?

Was that a reference to the old proverb about the stone and the water? It went something along the lines of 'in the struggle between the stone and water, in time, the water wins'. But somehow, I doubted that's what she meant. Perhaps she meant it literally, but that made even less sense. What friends could I possibly find under a rock?

I stared blankly at her for a moment as I attempted to figure out the hidden meaning.

What did she mean that turning over a stone could help me? How would that help anyone at all? The only thing that you would find by turning over a stone near a source of water anywhere in Konoha was…

 _Of course._

 _Beetles._

I gave her a quick smile, showing that I understood her hidden message. She grinned back, before turning towards the clinic and leaving me where I stood.

 _Translation? The Aburame clan is your ally._

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Ueda Machiko felt like a stranger in her own village.

This was not the village she had grown up in, it was too cold, too different from the soft memories of years spent in the warm Konoha sun and under the shade of the green trees that she held close to her heart.

The trees from her memory were still standing, of course, and the sun continued to grow warmer as spring gave hints of melting into summer, but nothing was the same. Not anymore. Not since Shimura Danzo had risen to power.

Now only hushed whispers could be heard in the marketplace where her family's silk stand stood, when it had once been filled with joyful laughter and boisterous conversation. People spoke of the war, of the food shortages, of spies, and of their rising discrimination against foreign nations on the opposite side of the war.

More than half the stands in the once lively market had already closed. Without the influx of trade from their neighboring lands, the economy had all but plummeted, and those who had their businesses based on international trade had suffered greatly from the rising tariffs and closing of borders.

Machiko knew it was only a matter of time before their stand would be forced to close too, not just because they could no longer trade in goods with the Land of Wind, but also because of the locals who were steadily refusing to purchase goods from her family.

With the way things were getting, it was growing steadily more dangerous to be associated with anyone who might draw attention in the wrong sort of way.

The young woman felt uneasy thinking about it as their new Hokage's voice filtered out of the old radio that another family had inside of their stall a few shops down. A couple vendors had abandoned what they were doing to make their way to where the radio was, listening intently as the words came out of the rusty transistor.

Machiko felt uneasy as she unwillingly listened along too, quietly observing the reactions of her fellow vendors as Danzo made one particularly nasty comment about those 'desert barbarians' or 'rain heathens' who apparently were responsible for their current economic situation.

A few villagers nodded along, many frowned unhappily in agreement, but Machiko had to fight to keep the nasty scowl from spreading over her lips.

 _Honestly._ She thought to herself. _Anyone with a brain knows that the citizens of Sunagakure and Amegakure aren't responsible for the fact that there's not enough rice to go around. But someone has to be the scapegoat._

She drummed her fingers nervously against the wood of her stall, lips turning downward as she listened.

Ueda Machiko's grandmother had come from a tribe of desert nomads who produced fine silks and woven rugs, and though her own mother had been born in the Land of Fire, she had spent most of her life on caravans back and forth from the capitols and hidden villages of the Lands of Fire and Wind. She had only settled after accepting the proposal from Machiko's father, and Machi had been born and raised here.

Konoha was the only home she had ever known, and she had only visited her mother's side of the family twice in her life. She belonged here, in the village, and she had just as much right to her citizenship as everyone else who had been born here too.

If only her fellow villagers thought that way.

Machiko's heritage and her father's choice in his first wife were public knowledge, though it had never been any sort of inconvenience to them until now. The diversity that had once been celebrated was now seen as dangerous.

Her blood was now viewed as impure, and her family subject to suspicion. Just because of who her mother was and the fact that they'd had a daughter who embodied two cultures in one, even if Machiko didn't know the first thing about what her grandmother's culture had been.

Machi was a Konoha woman, through and through, she knew little of the desert-dwellers – and now she was being labelled as one. Unfair. It was all so unfair. But nothing was ever fair in war, a lesson she was learning the hard way.

It had started simple enough.

There had been whispers, some strange stares at first. Now it was no longer so innocent. The more hatred Danzo spewed on the radio, the bolder the villagers became in their anti-foreigner sentiments.

Nobody bought from them, nobody sold to them. Their landlord had told them that he would not renew their lease when their contract expired in three months. The families she had once been friendly and familiar with were now distant. They were living on their savings now, and it was only a matter of time before that ran out. She wasn't sure what they would do when that happened.

If things continued the way they were, the once prosperous family would be left without a roof over their heads or a single ryo in their pocket.

Children threw things, their home had been vandalized, and Machiko no longer felt safe on the streets when she was out by herself. It was only by chance that she was at her silks stand today without her father, who was home with a nasty cold and roughing through it, because medicinal herbs were scarce and even harder to find when people didn't want to sell them to her family to begin with.

Even Satoko, her step-mother, had left her father and returned to her own parents, unwilling to be associated with them or viewed as sympathetic to those who dallied with foreigners or were born of foreigners. Satoko was saving face, as well as her own skin, by distancing herself from Machi and her father.

 _That stupid pig. Good riddance._

She knew it was petty, but she was glad Satoko was gone. She just wished it had been under different circumstances, because nothing about her exit from their lives felt at all victorious like she had once dreamed about it being. She supposed she would just have to take the small blessing as it came, even if Satoko was actively helping to fan the flames of hatred and discrimination against them to keep herself safe.

Only a few old friends remained loyal, Kimari included. Kimari had remained a positive force in her life despite what others thought about it, though it seemed like these days that Kimari didn't really give a fig about what the villagers thought about her any longer. Machi would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous of how her friend had secured a sense of freedom for herself, breaking the chains of tradition and growing into a confident woman who was no longer shackled by societal expectation.

Her old friend Keiji, however, had chosen his side. Unfortunately for Machiko, it was not in her defense. The young man who had once been a friend to her was now one of the most vocal ones in his bigotry. The butcher saw Danzo as something of a savior for Konoha, one who would lead them to prosperity.

And it seemed like fate that as she was thinking on two of her friends that one of them strolled into her vision. Or, former friend, she corrected herself mentally.

The butcher, who had a particularly nasty sneer on his face, was making his way to her stand. She noticed a spiteful look in his dark eyes, and he held his head higher than he once had in what she was sure was a sense of superiority he had gotten from his new Hokage. It was then that she also noticed three young men trailing behind him.

Machiko frowned. This couldn't be good. She tensed as Keiji and his little pack stopped in front of her stand.

"Still selling this filth, Ueda?" He asked, seeming to peer down the bridge of his large nose at her.

She noted the cold look in his eyes, along with the fact that he no longer addressed her as 'Ueda-chan', just 'Ueda'. This was not the Keiji she knew. He had changed.

"You have eyes, don't you?" She snapped, not particularly in the mood to deal with any more prejudice than she already had in one day. "I'm working, leave me alone."

His glare was piercing.

"Nobody wants to buy silks these days, everyone knows they come from those barbarians across the border. You've got a lot of nerve trying to sell the enemy's goods in the same market where hard-working citizens are trying to make a living." He spat.

"In case you've forgotten, Keiji- _kun,"_ She stressed the familiarity she had always addressed him by, a subtle reminder of the link of friendship that had once existed between them. "You're talking to one of those hard-working citizens right now. If you aren't going to buy anything then go away and take your stupid lackeys with you."

"You ought to talk with more respect to a pure-blooded citizen of Konoha. You should realize that things are different now." His tone carried a warning to it, one that Machi ignored against her better judgement.

"I'll show respect where it's due, thank you very much." She turned her nose up in the air for emphasis. "Now get lost."

Keiji's lips twisted even further, looking as if he had smelled or seen something revolting.

"People like you will get what's coming to them. It's only a matter of time. Your blood traitor of a father was probably never loyal to the village in the first place."

She decided to skip the bickering since he would likely not see reason and hit him straight where it hurt. And she knew exactly where to hit.

"Kimari was right about you. You're an oaf, and a terribly stupid one at that." Machi practically sang at him, enjoying the flash of pain that appeared in his eyes. "No wonder she preferred that strong and handsome ninja to a poor imbecile like you."

His mouth set itself in a thin line, red coloring creeping up his neck. She'd really done it now, but she wasn't done yet.

It was clear that Keiji had never quite gotten over Kimari's rejection. He was still reeling from what he clearly viewed as a betrayal and a broken promise, even if that promise had been made between his father and her grandfather without her consent.

It was no secret he had wanted Kimari as a wife, and it was certainly no secret that she had done much better for herself, for now she was a member of the head family of a powerful shinobi clan. If Inuzuka Hana died, her husband would become next in line for clan head and Kimari could be the next 'Lady Inuzuka'. And even if her husband never became clan head, she was still part of a tight-knit clan that truly cared for her.

Keiji could have never matched that, and he knew it. It was a sore subject for him, and he nearly always visibly flushed in a rage whenever it was brought up how happy she was and how well she was doing. Keiji saw her rejection as an insult to what he perceived as his honor, or what little was left of it.

"Poor Keiji." She hummed sadly at him, cocking her head to the side as she twisted the knife a bit further. "Rejected by his bride-to-be, not that I blame her. Any girl in her right mind would have made a run for it."

"You'll shut your mouth if you know what's good for you, you filthy bit-"

"Oh!" Interrupted Machi, adding yet another blow. "I wonder if we might be expecting an addition to their family any time soon! Wouldn't that be lovely? It probably won't be long, I've heard that those Inuzuka men are absolute _devils_ – if you catch my drift."

She was really teetering on the edge of going too far, she knew it. She just couldn't help it. The way Keiji sputtered at Machi's innuendo about the intimate life of the woman he still pined for was very satisfying to see.

Ueda Machiko had come to have her fill of his newfound supremacy complex and bullying. He'd been bitter and angry since Kimari rejected him, but had channeled that hate and bigotry onto anyone who didn't fit Danzo's definition of blood purity – despite the fact that their nation and hidden village had been built by clans who had come from far and wide.

How could there be such a thing as purity of blood when all the bloodlines that had built this village had originally come from somewhere else? Even the civilian clans who were original to the village had migrated to it shortly after its creation.

But that logic was wasted on Keiji and his posse, who now looked positively livid at being given such cheek by somebody they perceived as lesser than them, and a woman at that. Still, Machiko had always spoken her mind and pushed the barriers of what was considered appropriate. Even now, she didn't feel sorry for what she had said.

"I'm going to give you one chance to take that back and apologize." He seethed. "If you don't, I'll make sure you regret it."

Machiko paused.

She _could_ apologize, she could appease the angry man in front of her. She could grovel and humiliate herself by asking his forgiveness, which seemed to be what he wanted. He wanted her to feel lower than him, as dirty as he apparently thought she was.

 _I could apologize, it would probably make things easier for Otou-san and I._ She considered it only momentarily before making up her mind. Her father had raised a proud daughter, and she would not bow her head and grovel to anyone, especially not Keiji.

 _Nah. Where's the fun in that?_

"Go screw yourself, Keiji." She replied sweetly, a faux and sickly-sweet smile stretching across her face. "Because Kimari never will."

She didn't regret it when he slapped her across the face.

She didn't regret it when one of his lackeys pulled her out from behind her stall and pushed her roughly to the ground.

She didn't regret it when they overturned her stall, tearing it apart and ripping the precious silks to shreds before they stomped on the rubble that remained.

Ueda Machiko only picked herself back up and stood her ground firmly with her head held high. Her spine was straight and rigid as she watched them destroy her livelihood. She didn't speak a word as Keiji spat on her face before he left. And when they were gone she did not cry.

She was a fearless woman of Konoha, and they would not break her.

But she was now more certain than she had been before: things were getting dangerous, and the delicate safety that citizenship afforded would not last much longer for people like her.


End file.
